title: Fully automated [18F]fluorocholine synthesis in the TracerLab MX FDG Coincidence synthesizer.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  We developed a new fully automated method for the radiosynthesis of [18F]fluorocholine by modifying the commercial 2-[18F]fluoro-2-d-deoxy-glucose ([18F]FDG) synthesizer module (GE TracerLab MX, formerly Coincidence).
  
  
  METHODS
  [18F]Flurocholine was synthesized by (18)F-fluoroalkylation of N,N-dimethylaminoethanol using [18F]fluorobromomethane as fluoromethylating agent. [18F]Fluorobromomethane was produced by reaction of dibromomethane with [18F]fluoride, assisted by Kryptofix 2.2.2.
  
  
  RESULTS
  After purification on solid-phase extraction cartridges, the [18F]fluorocholine was obtained in 15-25% radiochemical yields (decay not corrected), with more than 99% radiochemical purity. Specific activity was more than 37 GBq/micromol. Synthesis time was less than 35 min.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  This new automated synthesis technique provides high and reproducible yields that could be dedicated for routine use with the same [18F]FDG disposable cassette system.
authors.affiliation: Laboratoire CREATIS-ANIMAGE, UMR 5515 Cnrs-U630 Inserm-Insa de Lyon, France. david.kryza@chu-lyon.fr
authors.forename: David
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Kryza
authors.forename: Vincent
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Tadino
authors.forename: Maria Azzurra
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Filannino
authors.forename: Guillaume
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Villeret
authors.forename: Laurent
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Lemoucheux
mesh_terms: D000478:Alkylation; D019086:Bridged Bicyclo Compounds, Heterocyclic; D002794:Choline / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000138:chemical synthesis; D004867:Equipment Design; D005462:Fluorine Radioisotopes / Q000737:chemistry; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18 / Q000737:chemistry; D008745:Methylation; D011854:Radiochemistry / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000379:methods*; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals / Q000138:chemical synthesis
chemical_list: D019086:Bridged Bicyclo Compounds, Heterocyclic; D005462:Fluorine Radioisotopes; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18; C006071:cryptating agent 222; C514960:fluorocholine; D002794:Choline