Radiochemistry

PET Radiochemistry laboratories houses 3 hot cells where PET radiotracers are produced.

The Hot cells have 4" of lead shielding and 9" (4" lead equivalent) lead glass windows for viewing the operations within. Each hot cell is fitted with one remote manipulator to assist in non-automated operations.

This area also has 4 fume hoods and sufficient bench space to house the quality control apparatus for testing the radiopharmaceuticals. The exhaust of these laboratories are monitored continuously for release of radioactivity.

We have a separate laboratory for labeling with Iodine-124 and Zirconium-89 isotopes. These isotopes are used for long biological half-life compounds.

At the moment antibodies and photodynamic therapy compounds are labeled. These labeled compounds are used in animal studies and these animals are imaged using our Focus 120 microPET.

The Cyclotron is shut down but we buy the isotopes from IBA. We can buy F-18 from a commercial vendor and can produce the labeled ligands of choice for animal studies.

We have a thin layer chromatography scanner and three HPLC systems with UV and radioactive detectors. These HPLC systems are used for purification of the labeled drug and for their quality control.