The radiochemistry laboratory is a modern 1039 sq. ft. facility within the Molecular Imaging Center. The main goals of this section include development of PET radioligands for diagnostic application, study of the mechanisms of multi-drug resistance to chemotherapeutic agents, and collaboration with the pharmaceutical industry in the use of PET probes to study receptor specificity of potential therapeutic compounds.

The core facility includes a General Electric PETtrace multi-port cyclotron for the routine production of curie amounts of [¹⁸F] fluoride, [¹⁸F] fluorine, [¹¹C] carbon dioxide, and [¹⁵O] oxygen and 100 millicurie amounts of [¹³N] ammonia. Carbon-11 and fluorine-18 labeled radiopharmaceuticals are facilitated with the availability of 6-dual mini cells, 1-full sized hot cell, and several semi- and fully automated synthesis modules.

The radiochemistry laboratory is fully equipped with modern analytical instruments for the preparation and quality control of PET radiopharmaceuticals. This includes an HPLC with UV and radioactive flow detection, gas chromatography, radio thin-layer chromatography and analytical HPLC.

For further information on the Research Radiochemistry Laboratory Resources contact Jerry I. Hirsch, Pharm.D., M.Sc.
Director of the Radiochemistry Laboratory by email jihirsch@hsc.vcu.edu

Cyclotron: General Electric PETtrace
The General Electric PETtrace is an automated compact self-shielded medical cyclotron capable of producing 16.5 MeV protons and 8.4 MeV deuterons. The high-energy cyclotron provides for a high yield 2-[¹⁸F-]-fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose (FDG) production and also other important radionuclides (¹¹C, ¹³N, and ¹⁵O). Common cyclotron-produced PET isotopes and their characteristics are shown in the tables below.