title: Development of a nano-zirconia based 68Ge/68Ga generator for biomedical applications.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Most of the commercially available (68)Ge/(68)Ga generator systems are not optimally designed for direct applications in a clinical context. We have developed a nano-zirconia based (68)Ge/(68)Ga generator system for accessing (68)Ga amenable for the preparation of radiopharmaceuticals.
  
  
  METHODS
  Nano-zirconia was synthesized by the in situ reaction of zirconyl chloride with ammonium hydroxide in alkaline medium. The physical characteristics of the material were studied by various analytical techniques. A 740 MBq (20 mCi) (68)Ge/(68)Ga generator was developed using this sorbent and its performance was evaluated for a period of 1 year. The suitability of (68)Ga for labeling biomolecules was ascertained by labeling DOTA-TATE with (68)Ga.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The material synthesized was nanocrystalline with average particle size of ~7 nm, pore-size of ~4 Å and a high surface area of 340±10 m(2) g(-1). (68)Ga could be regularly eluted from this generator in 0.01N HCl medium with an overall radiochemical yield >80% and with high radionuclidic (<10(-5)% of (68)Ge impurity) and chemical purity (<0.1 ppm of Zr, Fe and Mn ions). The compatibility of the product for preparation of (68)Ga-labeled DOTA-TATE under the optimized reaction conditions was found to be satisfactory in terms of high labeling yields (>99%). The generator gave a consistent performance with respect to the elution yield and purity of (68)Ga over a period of 1 year.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The feasibility of preparing an efficient (68)Ge/(68)Ga generator which can directly be used for biomedical applications has been demonstrated.
authors.affiliation: Radiopharmaceuticals Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Mumbai-400085, India.
authors.forename: Rubel
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Chakravarty
authors.forename: Rakesh
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Shukla
authors.forename: Ramu
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ram
authors.forename: Avesh Kumar
authors.initials: AK
authors.lastname: Tyagi
authors.forename: Ashutosh
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dash
authors.forename: Meera
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Venkatesh
mesh_terms: D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005710:Gallium Radioisotopes / Q000737:chemistry / Q000302:isolation & purification; D005857:Germanium / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D007553:Isotope Labeling; D049329:Nanostructures / Q000737:chemistry*; D011786:Quality Control; D011854:Radiochemistry / Q000379:methods*; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals / Q000138:chemical synthesis / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D015040:Zirconium / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D005710:Gallium Radioisotopes; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D005857:Germanium; D015040:Zirconium; C028541:zirconium oxide