title: Detailed evaluation of different (68)Ge/(68)Ga generators: an attempt toward achieving efficient (68)Ga radiopharmacy.
abstract: The present study is aimed at carrying out a comparative performance evaluation of different types of (68)Ge/(68)Ga generators to identify the best choice for use in (68)Ga-radiopharmacy. Over the 1 year period of evaluation, the elution yields from the CeO2-based and SiO2-based (68)Ge/(68) Ga generators remained almost consistent, in contrast to the sharp decrease observed in the elution yields from TiO2 and SnO2-based generators. The level of (68)Ge impurity in (68)Ga eluates from the CeO2 and SiO2-based (68)Ge/(68)Ga generator was always <10(-3)%, while this level increased from 10(-3)% to 10(-1)% in case of TiO2 and SnO2-based generators. The level of chemical impurities in (68)Ga eluates from CeO2 and SiO2-based (68)Ge/(68)Ga generators was negligibly low (<0.1 ppm) in contrast to the significantly higher level (1-20 ppm) of such impurities in eluates from other two generators. As demonstrated by radiolabeling studies carried out using DOTA-coupled dimeric cyclic RGD peptide derivative (DOTA-RGD2), CeO2-PAN and SiO2-based generators are directly amenable for radiopharmaceutical preparation, whereas the other generators can be only used after post-elution purification of (68)Ga eluates. Clinically relevant dose of (68)Ga-DOTA-RGD2 was prepared in a hospital radiopharmacy for non-invasive visualization of tumors in breast cancer patients using positron emission tomography.
authors.affiliation: Isotope Production and Applications Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Trombay, Mumbai, 400 085, India.
authors.forename: Rubel
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Chakravarty
authors.affiliation: Isotope Production and Applications Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Trombay, Mumbai, 400 085, India.
authors.forename: Sudipta
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Chakraborty
authors.affiliation: Isotope Production and Applications Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Trombay, Mumbai, 400 085, India.
authors.forename: Ramu
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Ram
authors.affiliation: Department of Nuclear Medicine, Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, 160 012, India.
authors.forename: Rakhee
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Vatsa
authors.affiliation: Department of Nuclear Medicine, Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, 160 012, India.
authors.forename: Priya
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Bhusari
authors.affiliation: Department of Nuclear Medicine, Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, 160 012, India.
authors.forename: Jaya
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Shukla
authors.affiliation: Department of Nuclear Medicine, Post Graduate Institute of Medical Education and Research, Chandigarh, 160 012, India.
authors.forename: B R
authors.initials: BR
authors.lastname: Mittal
authors.affiliation: Isotope Production and Applications Division, Bhabha Atomic Research Centre, Trombay, Mumbai, 400 085, India.
authors.forename: Ashutosh
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Dash
mesh_terms: D005710:Gallium Radioisotopes / Q000737:chemistry*; D011876:Radionuclide Generators / Q000295:instrumentation* / Q000592:standards; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D005710:Gallium Radioisotopes; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals
keywords: 68Ga-radiopharmacy; 68Ge/68Ga generators; RGD peptide; angiogenesis; positron emission tomography (PET)