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Objective: In the recent time, endoradionuclide therapy for metastatic castration-resistant prostate carcinoma employing 177 Lu-PSMA-617 has yielded encouraging results and several clinical trials with the agent are currently ongoing. Routine preparation of 177 Lu-PSMA-617 patient doses can be made simpler and convenient, if the ingredients essential for radiolabeling are made available in a ready-to-use lyophilized form., Methods: PSMA-617 freeze-dried kit was formulated and used for the preparation of 177 Lu-PSMA-617 clinical dose with high radiochemical purity using low/medium specific activity 177 Lu. Detailed radiochemical studies were performed to determine the maximum activity and volume of 177 LuCl 3 , which can be added in the kit for the formulation of 177 Lu-PSMA-617. Studies were also performed to determine the shelf life of the kit to ensure its long-term usage. Studies were performed in buffer as well as human serum medium to determine the stability of the 177 Lu-PSMA-617 complex after storing in respective media up to 7 days postpreparation. About ten patient doses of 177 Lu-PSMA-617 were administered, and posttherapy scans were acquired., Results: The formulated freeze-dried kit of PSMA-617 could be radiolabeled with an average percentage radiochemical purity > 98.53 ± 0.38. The freeze-dried kit was found suitable for tolerating up to 0.5 mL of 177 LuCl 3 (in 0.01 N HCl) and specific activity of 555 MBq/ μ g (15 mCi/ μ g) for the preparation of the patient dose of 177 Lu-PSMA-617. The 177 Lu-PSMA-617 complex prepared using the freeze-dried kit of PSMA-617 was observed to maintain % radiochemical purity (RCP) of 96.74 ± 0.87 and 94.81 ± 2.66, respectively, even after storing up to 7 days in buffer and human serum, respectively. 177 Lu-PSMA-617 prepared using the in-house formulated freeze-dried kit of PSMA-617 exhibited accumulation in metastatic lesions picked up in a pretherapy PET scan. Reduction in number as well as size of lesions was observed in posttherapy scans acquired after two months of administering the first therapeutic dose of 177 Lu-PSMA-617., Conclusions: The freeze-dried kit of PSMA-617 could be used for the preparation of 177 Lu-PSMA-617 with high radiochemical purity (>98%) in a reproducible manner. 177 Lu-PSMA-617 prepared using the developed kit was successfully evaluated in patients suffering from metastatic prostate cancer., Competing Interests: The authors declare that they have no conflict of interests., (Copyright © 2021 Mohini Guleria et al.)

Aim: This work describes a small-scale production of iodine-124 using a 16.5 MeV cyclotron, and a subsequent validation of the formulated sodium [124I]iodide solution for routinely clinical applications., Methods: Iodine-124 ( 124 I) was produced via the 124 Te(p, n) 124 I reaction using a 16.5 MeV GE PETtrace® cyclotron. Irradiation was performed with a pre-prepared solid target consisting of [ 124 Te]TeO 2 (99.93%) and Al 2 O 3 . Different layer thicknesses, irradiation and extraction parameters were tested. After irradiation at the cyclotron, the shuttle with irradiated material was transferred fully automatically via a tube system to the Comecer ALCEO ® Halogen 2.0 extraction unit. Iodine-124 was subsequently extracted in form of sodium [ 124 I]iodide ([ 124 I]NaI) in 0.05 N aqueous NaOH solution, followed by reconstitution and validation for preclinical and clinical uses., Results: Good result was achieved using a beam degradation foil of 500 µm thickness in combination with beam currents between 10 and 15 µA. Under these conditions, up to 150 MBq no-carrier-added [ 124 I]NaI was obtained after a 2 h irradiation time in less than 500 µl 0.05 N NaOH. Isolation of [ 124 I]NaI, including evaporation and extraction at the ALCEO ® Halogen EVP unit was accomplished in 90 min 24 h after production (irradiation), the amount of iodine-123 as assessed by gamma-ray spectroscopy was less than 1.5%. The undesirable iodine-125 was not detectable by gamma spectroscopy. The extracted [ 124 I]NaI could be used directly for radiolabeling purposes, and after buffering with phosphate buffered saline (PBS) and sterile filtration for clinical applications., Conclusions: Through the optimized conditions for irradiation and extraction, iodine-124 was produced in good radiochemical yields and high radionuclide purity. The generated injectable [ 124 I]NaI solution was sterile, non-pyrogenic and ready for preclinical and clinical applications after a sterile filtration through a 0.22 µm membrane filter., (Copyright © 2018 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.)

One of the alternative methods for the measurement of radiochemical purity (RCP) of Technetium-sestamibi uses Whatman 3MM paper as the stationary phase and ethyl acetate as the mobile phase. However, alternative method shows peak splitting and shouldering of the radiopharmaceutical. This could be because of higher levels of analyte. We aimed to assess the effect of sample dilution (1 : 1) on this method and to compare these RCP values with the reference method. The diluted samples showed a unique peak in the radiopharmaceutical zone, but the RCP values were significantly different (P<0.05) and correlated poorly with the reference method.

Performance of a second itG 68 Ge/ 68 Ga generator system and production of 68 Ga-DOTATOC and 68 Ga-PSMA-HBED-CC were tested over one year as an accompaniment to a previously published study (J Nucl Med. 2016;57:1402-1405)., Methods: Performance of a 1951MBq 68 Ge/ 68 Ga generator was characterized and the eluate used for preparation of 68 Ga-DOTATOC and 68 Ga-PSMA-HBED-CC. Weekly elution profiles of 68 Ga elution yield and 68 Ge breakthrough were determined., Results: 68 Ga elution yields averaged 82% (61.8-98.4%) and 68 Ge breakthrough averaged 0.002% (0.0007% to 0.004%). The radiochemical purities of 68 Ga-DOTATOC and 68 Ga-PSMA-HBED-CC were determined by HPLC analysis to be >98% and specific activity was 12.6 and 42GBq/μmol, respectively. 68 Ge contamination in the product was under the detection limit (0.00001%). Final sterile, pyrogen-free formulation of 68 Ga-DOTATOC and 68 Ga-PSMA-HBED-CC in physiologic saline with 5%-7% ethanol was achieved., Conclusion: Performance of a 68 Ge/ 68 Ga generator was studied over one year with satisfactory results. The generator eluate was used to synthesize 68 Ga-DOTATOC and 68 Ga-PSMA-HBED-CC on a routine basis in high purity., (Copyright © 2017. Published by Elsevier Inc.)

Introduction: Recently, 6-[(1-cyclobutylpiperidin-4-yl)oxy]-1-(6-[ 11 C]methoxypyridin-3-yl)-3,4-dihydroquinolin-2(1H)-one ([ 11 C]TASP457, [ 11 C]2) has been developed as a novel PET ligand for histamine H 3 receptors in brain. [ 11 C]2 is potentially suitable for imaging H 3 receptors in rat and monkey brains, which has motivated us to perform first-in-human study of [ 11 C]2 for qualifying H 3 receptors in human brain. In this paper, we report an efficient radiosynthesis of [ 11 C]2 to obtain sufficient radioactivity and high quality for clinical application., Methods: In manual synthesis, we optimized the reaction conditions of desmethyl precursor 1, which contains a 2-hydroxypyridine moiety, with [ 11 C]MeI or [ 11 C]MeOTf. After optimization, we performed automated synthesis and quality control of [ 11 C]2., Results: Bubbling [ 11 C]MeOTf into a heated mixture of precursor 1 and cesium carbonate in DMF at 100°C for 90s produced [ 11 C]2 with decay-corrected radiochemical yields of (based on [ 11 C]CO 2 ) 7.9±1.8% (n=78). The specific activity of [ 11 C]2 was 156±52GBq/μmol (n=78) at the end of synthesis. The total synthesis time was approximately 35min from the end of bombardment. All the quality control results of [ 11 C]2 were in compliance with our in-house quality control/assurance specifications., Conclusion: We radiosynthesized [ 11 C]TASP457 ([ 11 C]2) with sufficient amounts of radioactivity and high quality for clinical usefulness. This radioligand is being used for PET assessment of H 3 receptors in human brain in our facility., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: Copper-64 is an attractive radionuclide for positron emission tomography and is emerging as a radiotherapeutic agent. The demand of 64 Cu with low metallic impurities has increased because of its wide applications when incorporated with antibodies, peptides, and proteins. In this study, we propose a new separation method to produce high-quality 64 Cu using a cation exchange column, as well as an automated separation system suitable for large-scale production., Methods: 64 Cu was produced from an electrodeposited 64 Ni target via the 64 Ni(p,n)-reaction with a 24MeV HH+ beam at 10eμA (electrical microampere) conducted for 1-3h. The irradiated target was transported to a hot cell and disassembled remotely. 64 Cu was separated by a solvent mixture of HCl and acetone on a cation-exchange resin, AG50W-X8. The chemical purity of 64 Cu final product was evaluated using ion-chromatography coupled with a UV detector and inductively coupled plasma mass spectroscopy for quality as well as metallic impurities., Results: We obtained 64 Cu in dried form at a yield of 5.2-13GBq at the end of separation, or 521±12MBq/eμAh as the final product within 2.5h of processing time. The metallic impurities were a satisfactory low level in the order of ppb. Major contaminants of Co and Ni were lower than those samples obtained by a widely accepted separation using an anion-exchange resin., Conclusion: Using a cation-exchange resin and a systematic operation, we successfully reduced the contamination level of the 64 Cu product. As a straightforward separation method, which shortened the entire processing time, we obtained a satisfactory amount of high-quality 64 Cu available for routine use., (Copyright © 2016 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objective: The GE FASTlab radiosynthesis module is routinely used for the production of [(18)F]FDG, utilizing the commercially available phosphate cassettes. Because of the observation of a white precipitate in the product vial before the product expiry time, we re-examined the quality of the produced [(18)F]FDG solution., Methods: Phosphate buffered [(18)F]FDG solution was synthesized on the FASTlab and analyzed at both National Taiwan University Hospital (NTUH) of Taiwan and Royal Brisbane and Women's Hospital (RBWH) of Australia. In addition to the standard product quality control (QC), the concentration of aluminum (Al(3+)) as probable cause of the precipitations in the [(18)F]FDG solution was analyzed by inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS at RBWH) and inductively coupled plasma optical emission spectrometry (ICP-OES at NTUH), and using three semi-quantitative methods at NTUH, Advantec(®) Alumi Check Test Strip, Quantofix(®) Aluminum Test Strip and MColortest™ Aluminum Test kit., Results: The precipitates were observed in the [(18)F]FDG solution within 24 (NTUH) and 6 (RBWH) hours after the end of synthesis in 38-100 % of the batches, dependent on the batch of the FASTlab cassettes. Addition of metal-free HCl(aq) to aliquots of [(18)F]FDG containing precipitate, followed by ICP-MS analysis revealed Al(3+) concentrations of 70-80 ppm. Al(3+) concentrations of 10-12 ppm were detected in [(18)F]FDG batches that did not show any precipitation. In contrast, less than 5 ppm of the residual Al(3+) was detected by semi-quantitative methods in all batches., Conclusion: The US (USP), British (BP), European (EP) and Japanese (JP) pharmacopeias demand that [(18)F]FDG for injection should be clear and particulate free within the given shelf-life/expiration time. To avoid Al-phosphate precipitation within the product expiry time, FASTlab citrate cassettes, rather than phosphate cassettes, should be used for [(18)F]FDG production. Although testing for Al(3+) is not listed in the [(18)F]FDG monographs of the USP, BP and EP, residual Al(3+) levels should be considered in the interests of patient safety.

A stable isotope labelled mass spectrometry internal standard of the antibiotic doxycycline was prepared to assist in pharmacokinetic analyses. Our approach was to first N-demethylate doxycycline using a non-classical Polonovski reaction and then re-methylate using methyl-[(13) CD3 ] iodide, which gave doxycycline-[(13) CD3 ] with an isotopic purity of 99%., (Copyright © 2016 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.)

The level of the translocator protein (TSPO) increases dramatically in microglial cells when the cells are activated in response to neuronal injury and insult. The radiotracer [(18) F]GE-180 binds selectively and with high affinity to TSPO and can therefore be used to measure neuroinflammation in a variety of disease states. An optimized, automated synthesis of [(18) F]GE-180 has been developed for the GE FASTlab™ synthesizer. The entire process takes place on the single-use cassette. The radiolabelling is performed by nucleophilic fluorination of the S- enantiomer mesylate precursor. The crude product is purified post-radiolabelling using two solid-phase extraction cartridges integrated on the cassette. Experimental design and multivariate data analysis were used to assess the robustness, and critical steps were optimized with respect to efficacy and quality. The average radiochemical yield is 48% (RSD 6%, non-decay corrected), and the synthesis time including purification is approximately 43 min. The radiochemical purity is ≥95% for radioactive concentration ≤1100 MBq/mL. The total amount of precursor-related chemical impurities is 1-2 µg/mL. The use of solid-phase extraction purification results in a robust GMP compliant process with a product of high chemical and radiochemical purity and consistent performance across positron emission tomography (PET) centers., (Copyright © 2013 John Wiley & Sons, Ltd.)

We proposed a method of synthesis to produce [11C]Choline using TRACERlab FXc module that utilized gas phase iodination. The product had radiochemical purity of 99.79 ± 0.14 % and specific activity of 45.7 ± 7.59 GBq/μmol. [11C]Choline did not have at the moment a specific monograph in European Pharmacopeia therefore we used, when possible, as quality controls reference the monograph of [18F]FDG and we proposed suitable methods to verify radiochemical purity and to quantify residual DMAE and choline amounts.

The production of proton rich radionuclides supports a wide range of radiochemical analyses via radioactive yield tracers ((95m)Tc and (236)Pu). In recent years, NPL and the University of Birmingham cyclotron have collaborated to produce these, and other, radionuclides., (Copyright © 2012. Published by Elsevier Ltd.)

The DOTA macrocyclic ligand can form stable complexes with many cations besides yttrium and lutetium. For this reason, the presence of competing cationic metals in yttrium-90 and lutetium-177 chloride solutions can dramatically influence the radiolabeling yield. The aim of this study was to evaluate the coordination yield of yttrium- and lutetium-DOTATATE complexes when the reaction is performed in the presence of varying amounts of competing cationic impurities. In the first set of experiments, the preparation of the samples was performed by using natural yttrium and lutetium (20.4 nmol). The molar ratio between DOTATATE and these metals was 1 to 1. Metal competitors (Pb(2+), Zn(2+), Cu(2+), Fe(3+), Al(3+), Ni(2+), Co(2+), Cr(3+)) were added separately to obtain samples with varying molar ratio with respect to yttrium or lutetium (0.1, 0.5, 1, 2 and 10). The final solutions were analyzed through ultra high-performance liquid chromatography with an UV detector. In the second set of experiments, an amount of (90)Y or (177)Lu chloride (6 MBq corresponding to 3.3 and 45 pmol, respectively) was added to the samples, and a radio-thin layer chromatography analysis was carried out. The coordination of Y(3+) and Lu(3+) was dramatically influenced by low levels of Zn(2+), Cu(2+) and Co(2+). Pb(2+) and Ni(2+) were also shown to be strong competitors at higher concentrations. Fe(3+) was expected to be a strong competitor, but the effect on the incorporation was only partly dependent on its concentration. Al(3+) and Cr(3+) did not compete with Y(3+) and Lu(3+) in the formation of DOTATATE complexes., (Copyright © 2012 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: An efficient fully automated method for the radiosynthesis of enantiomerically pure O-(2-[(18)F]fluoroethyl)-L-tyrosine ([(18)F]FET) using the GE TracerLab FX(FN) synthesis module via the O-(2-tosyloxyethyl)-N-trityl-L-tyrosine tert-butylester precursor has been developed., Methods: The radiolabelling of [(18)F]FET involved a classical [(18)F]fluoride nucleophilic substitution performed in acetonitrile using potassium carbonate and Kryptofix 222, followed by acid hydrolysis using 2N hydrochloric acid., Results: [(18)F]FET was produced in 35±5% (n=22) yield non-decay-corrected (55±5% decay-corrected) and with radiochemical and enantiomeric purity of >99% with a specific activity of >90 GBq/μmol after 63 min of radiosynthesis including HPLC purification and formulation., Conclusion: The automated radiosynthesis provides high and reproducible yields suitable for routine clinical use., (Crown Copyright © 2011. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Introduction: We and others have previously reported a four-step radiosynthesis of a series of 2'-deoxy-2'-[(18)F]fluoro-5-substituted-1-β-D-arabinofuranosyluracil derivatives including [(18)F]FAU, [(18)F]FEAU, [(18)F]FFAU, [(18)F]FCAU, [(18)F]FBAU and [(18)F]FIAU as thymidine derivatives for tumor proliferation and/or reporter gene expression imaging with positron emission tomography (PET). Although the radiosynthesis has been proven to be reproducible and efficient, this complicated multistep reaction is difficult to incorporate into an automated cGMP-compliant radiosynthesis module for routine production. Recently, we have developed a simple and efficient one-pot method for routine production of [(18)F]FMAU. In this study, we studied the feasibility of radiosynthesizing [(18)F]FAU, [(18)F]FEAU, [(18)F]FFAU, [(18)F]FCAU, [(18)F]FBAU and [(18)F]FIAU using this newly developed method., Methods: Similar to the radiosynthesis of [(18)F]FMAU, 5-substituted 2'-[(18)F]fluoro-2'-deoxy-arabinofuranosyluracil derivatives ([(18)F]FAU, [(18)F]FEAU, [(18)F]FFAU, [(18)F]FCAU, [(18)F]FBAU and [(18)F]FIAU) were synthesized in one-pot radiosynthesis module in the presence of Friedel-Crafts catalyst TMSOTf and HMDS., Results: This one-pot radiosynthesis method could be used to produce [(18)F]FAU, [(18)F]FEAU, [(18)F]FFAU, [(18)F]FCAU, [(18)F]FBAU and [(18)F]FIAU. The overall radiochemical yields of these tracers varied from 4.1%±0.8% to 10.1%±1.9% (decay-corrected, n=4). The overall reaction time was reduced from 210 min to 150 min from the end of bombardment, and the radiochemical purity was >99%., Conclusions: The improved radiosyntheses of [(18)F]FAU, [(18)F]FEAU, [(18)F]FFAU, [(18)F]FCAU, [(18)F]FBAU and [(18)F]FIAU have been achieved with reasonable yields and high purity using a multistep one-pot method. The synthetic time has been reduced, and the reaction procedures have been significantly simplified. The success of this approach may make PET tracers [(18)F]FAU, [(18)F]FEAU, [(18)F]FFAU, [(18)F]FCAU, [(18)F]FBAU and [(18)F]FIAU more accessible for preclinical and clinical research., (Copyright © 2011 Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.)

Objective: Telmisartan, a nonpeptide angiotensin II AT1 receptor antagonist, is an antihypertensive drug. Positron emission tomography (PET) imaging with [(11)C]Telmisartan is expected to provide information about the whole body pharmacokinetics of telmisartan as well as the transport function of hepatic OATP1B3. We developed a first automatic preparation system of [(11)C]Telmisartan to applicable clinical research using a new (11)C and (18)F multipurpose synthesizer., Methods: Two milligrams of precursor (1) in 5 μl of 1 M KOH in 0.5 ml of dimethyl sulfoxide was reacted with [(11)C]CH(3)I for 5 min at 120°C. The resultant solution was hydrolyzed with 1 M NaOH at 100°C for 3 min. The neutralization was carried out with acetic acid, followed by purification with high-performance liquid chromatography. The desired radioactive fraction was collected and solvent was replaced by 10 ml saline containing 0.3 ml of EtOH and 0.5 ml of PEG400, and then passed through a sterile 0.22 μm filter (Millex-GV, Millipore) to a pyrogen-free vial as the final product., Results: The yield of [(11)C]Telmisartan for clinical research use was 16.8 ± 2.9% EOB as decay corrected (n = 8, mean ± SD) in 32-36 min. The radiochemical purity of [(11)C]Telmisartan was >97%, and specific activity was higher than 86.3 MBq/nmol., Conclusions: We succeeded in the first synthesis of [(11)C]Telmisartan for clinical research use by appropriate quality tests.

An accurate and precise measurement of selenium in Standard Reference Material (SRM) 3149, a primary calibration standard for the quantitative determination of selenium, has been accomplished by instrumental neutron activation analysis (INAA) in order to resolve a question arising during the certification process of the standard. Each limiting factor of the uncertainty in the activation analysis, including the sample preparation, irradiation, and γ-ray spectrometry steps, has been carefully monitored to minimize the uncertainty in the determined mass fraction. Neutron and γ-ray self-shielding within the elemental selenium INAA standards contributed most significantly to the uncertainty of the measurement. An empirical model compensating for neutron self-shielding and reducing the self-shielding uncertainty was successfully applied to these selenium standards. The mass fraction of selenium in the new lot of SRM 3149 was determined with a relative standard uncertainty of 0.6%.

Radiochemical neutron activation analysis (RNAA) with retention on hydrated manganese dioxide (HMD) has played a key role in the certification of As in biological materials at NIST. Although this method provides very high and reproducible yields and detection limits at low microgram/kilogram levels, counting geometry uncertainties may arise from unequal distribution of As in the HMD, and arsenic detection limits may not be optimal due to significant retention of other elements. An alternate RNAA procedure with separation of arsenic by solvent extraction has been investigated. After digestion of samples in nitric and perchloric acids, As(III) is extracted from 2 M sulfuric acid solution into a solution of zinc diethyldithiocarbamate in chloroform. Counting of (76)As allows quantitation of arsenic. Addition of an (77)As tracer solution prior to dissolution allows correction for chemical yield and counting geometries, further improving reproducibility. The HMD and solvent extraction procedures for arsenic were compared through analysis of SRMs 1577c (bovine liver), 1547 (peach leaves), and 1575a (pine needles). Both methods gave As results in agreement with certified values with comparable reproducibility. However, the solvent extraction method yields a factor of 3 improvement in detection limits and is less time-consuming than the HMD method. The new method shows great promise for use in As certification in reference materials.

The ¹⁷⁷Lu-[tris(1,10-phenanthroline)lutetium(III)] complex (¹⁷⁷Lu-PQ3) was prepared successfully with high radiochemical purity (> 99%). Lu-177 chloride was obtained by thermal neutron flux (4 × 10¹³ n.cm⁻².s⁻¹) of natural Lu₂(NO₃)₃ sample, dissolved in acidic media. The radiochemical yield was checked by measuring the radiochemical purity of the (177)Lu-PQ complex by ITLC (10 mM DTPA, pH = 5, as mobile phase). The final complex solution was injected intravenously into wild-type male rats and bio-distribution of the complex was checked for up to 48 hours. The dose limiting organs were shown to be the reticulu-endothelial system. The bio-distribution of the labelled compounds in tumour-bearing animals is under investigation.

The pattern of radiostrontium and radiocesium sorption-desorption was examined in 30 Spanish soils by the quantification of the distribution coefficients (Kd) with batch tests, the evaluation of sorption reversibility with a single extraction, the estimation of sorption dynamics by the application of drying-wetting cycles, and the calculation of Kdadjusted values as an input for risk assessment models. The data obtained overlapped with those found in soils from other climatic areas, suggesting identical interaction mechanisms and allowing the extrapolation of parameterisations and prediction models among different scenarios.

We have developed a fully automatic method for the synthesis of 16alpha-[18F]fluoroestradiol ([18F]FES) using a disposable cassette system and conventional [18F]FDG module. [18F]FES was synthesized using a GE TracerLab MX module and a modified module control program. Following [18F]fluorination, we hydrolyzed the product three times with a mixture of 2N HCl and CH(3)CN. After HPLC purification, the decay corrected radiochemical yield of [18F]FES was 45.3+/-2.8%, which was stable to 98.2+/-0.2% at 6h after synthesis. This new automated synthesis method provides high and reproducible yields with the advantage of a disposable cassette system.

A positron-emitting paclitaxel (PAC) derivative could allow in vivo measurement of multidrug resistance in tumors and, therefore, predict a potential chemotherapeutic benefit to patients. [18F]Paclitaxel was produced using a 2-reaction vessel automated synthesizer followed by HPLC purification. Optimized reaction conditions resulted in radiochemical yields of 21.2+/-9.6% at end of bombardment, radiochemical purity >99%, and specific activity of 159+/-43 G Bq/micromol. [18F]Paclitaxel activities of 1.33+/-0.729 G Bq (n=7) were obtained in sterile, pyrogen-free solution for IV administration.

Radiochemical neutron activation analysis coupled with the k0-standardization method (k0-RNAA method) was applied to silicate rock samples for the simultaneous determination of trace halogens (Cl, Br and I). Analytical results obtained by the k0-RNAA method for geological standard rocks and meteorite samples agreed with those determined by the conventional comparison method conducted in the same set of experiments, suggesting that the k0-RNAA method is as reliable as the conventional method. Our data for these samples are in good agreement with their literature values except for rare cases. Detection limits calculated under the present experimental condition are sufficiently low for Cl and Br but not for I for typical geologic and meteoritic samples. The k0-RNAA method coupled with longer neutron-irradiation is expected to yield satisfactorily low detection limits for halogens including I in these samples.

Four different methods for determining the radiochemical purity (RCP) of 99Tcm-sestamibi have been proposed to replace the recommended thin-layer chromatography (TLC) method, as the recommended method is inconvenient and time-consuming. The purpose of this study was to compare the recommended TLC method with the four proposed rapid QC methods for 99Tcm-sestamibi: (1) chloroform extraction (CE), (2) mini-paper chromatography with chloroform/tetrahydrofuran (1:1, v/v) (MPC), (3) Waters Sep-Pak alumina N cartridge with 100% ethanol (SPE), and (4) Waters Sep-Pak C18 cartridge with normal saline (SPNS). For RCP values ranging from 21.8 to 98.7% (n = 20), both the CE and SPNS methods produced falsely high RCP values (RCP difference: 14.1 +/- 23.5% for CE and 15.0 +/- 24.9% for SPNS). The MPC and SPE methods were in good agreement (r = 0.98 for MPC and 0.88 for SPE) with the recommended TLC method over the critical RCP range (i.e. 77.0-98.7%, n = 52) (RCP difference: -0.9 +/- 1.2% for MPC and -4.3 +/- 3.2% for SPE). None of the 99Tcm-sestamibi preparations that had been rejected (i.e. RCP < 90%) by the TLC method were accepted by either the MPC or SPE method. However, 4 of the 52 99Tcm-sestamibi preparations with acceptable RCP by the TLC method had unacceptable RCP by the MPC method, whereas 8 of the same 52 preparations were unacceptable by the SPE method.(ABSTRACT TRUNCATED AT 250 WORDS)