Improved AutomatedSynthesis and Preliminary Animal PET/CT Imaging of ¹¹C-acetate

To study a simple and rapidautomated synthetic technology of ¹¹C-acetate(¹¹C-AC), automatedsynthesis of ¹¹C-ACwas performed by carboxylation of MeMgBr/tetrahydrofuran (THF) on apolyethylene loop with ¹¹C-CO₂,followed by hydrolysis and purification on solid-phase extraction cartridgesusing a ¹¹C-Choline/Methioninesynthesizer made in China. A high and reproducible radiochemical yield of above40% (decay corrected) was obtained within the whole synthesis time about 8 minfrom ¹¹C-CO₂.The radiochemical purity of ¹¹C-ACwas over 95%. The novel, simple and rapid on-column hydrolysis-purificationprocedure should adaptable to the fully automated synthesis of ¹¹C-AC at several commercialsynthesis module. ¹¹C-ACinjection produced by the automated procedure is safe and effective, and can beused for PET imaging of animals and humans.