title: Development of radiodetection systems towards miniaturised quality control of PET and SPECT radiopharmaceuticals.
abstract: The ability to detect radiation in microfluidic devices is important for the on-chip analysis of radiopharmaceuticals, but previously reported systems have largely suffered from various limitations including cost, complexity of fabrication, and insufficient sensitivity and/or speed. Here, we present the use of sensitive, low cost, small-sized, commercially available silicon photomultipliers (SiPMs) for the detection of radioactivity inside microfluidic channels fabricated from a range of conventional microfluidic chip substrates. We demonstrate the effects of chip material and thickness on the detection of the positron-emitting isotope, [(18)F]fluoride, and find that, while the SiPMs are light sensors, they are able to detect radiation even through opaque chip materials via direct positron and gamma (γ) ray interaction. Finally, we employed the SiPM platform for analysis of the PET (positron emission tomography) radiotracers 2-[(18)F]fluoro-2-deoxy-d-glucose ([(18)F]FDG) and [(68)Ga]gallium-citrate, and highlight the ability to detect the γ ray emitting SPECT (single photon emission computed tomography) radiotracer, [(99m)Tc]pertechnetate.
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Sheffield, Hounsfield Road, Sheffield, S3 7RH, UK. l.thompson@sheffield.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Matthew P
authors.initials: MP
authors.lastname: Taggart
authors.affiliation: Positron Emission Tomography Research Centre, University of Hull, Cottingham Road, Hull, HU6 7RX, UK and Department of Chemistry, University of Hull, Cottingham Road, Hull, HU6 7RX, UK. n.pamme@hull.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Mark D
authors.initials: MD
authors.lastname: Tarn
authors.affiliation: School of Engineering, University of Hull, Cottingham Road, Hull, HU6 7RX, UK.
authors.forename: Mohammad M N
authors.initials: MM
authors.lastname: Esfahani
authors.affiliation: LabLogic Systems Ltd., Paradigm House, 3 Melbourne Avenue, Broomhill, Sheffield, S10 2QJ, UK.
authors.forename: Daniel M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Schofield
authors.affiliation: School of Engineering, University of Hull, Cottingham Road, Hull, HU6 7RX, UK.
authors.forename: Nathaniel J
authors.initials: NJ
authors.lastname: Brown
authors.affiliation: Positron Emission Tomography Research Centre, University of Hull, Cottingham Road, Hull, HU6 7RX, UK and Department of Chemistry, University of Hull, Cottingham Road, Hull, HU6 7RX, UK. n.pamme@hull.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Stephen J
authors.initials: SJ
authors.lastname: Archibald
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Sheffield, Hounsfield Road, Sheffield, S3 7RH, UK. l.thompson@sheffield.ac.uk and LabLogic Systems Ltd., Paradigm House, 3 Melbourne Avenue, Broomhill, Sheffield, S10 2QJ, UK.
authors.forename: Tom
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Deakin
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, University of Hull, Cottingham Road, Hull, HU6 7RX, UK. n.pamme@hull.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Nicole
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Pamme
authors.affiliation: Department of Physics and Astronomy, University of Sheffield, Hounsfield Road, Sheffield, S3 7RH, UK. l.thompson@sheffield.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Lee F
authors.initials: LF
authors.lastname: Thompson
mesh_terms: D002138:Calibration; D002951:Citrates / Q000032:analysis*; D004867:Equipment Design; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D005462:Fluorine Radioisotopes; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18 / Q000032:analysis*; D005708:Gallium / Q000032:analysis*; D005710:Gallium Radioisotopes; D006207:Half-Life; D006801:Humans; D007553:Isotope Labeling; D056656:Lab-On-A-Chip Devices; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography; D066330:Printing, Three-Dimensional; D011786:Quality Control; D011849:Radioactive Tracers; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals / Q000032:analysis*; D012825:Silicon / Q000737:chemistry; D013670:Sodium Pertechnetate Tc 99m; D015899:Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon
chemical_list: D002951:Citrates; D005462:Fluorine Radioisotopes; D005710:Gallium Radioisotopes; D011849:Radioactive Tracers; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18; D013670:Sodium Pertechnetate Tc 99m; D005708:Gallium; C103850:gallium citrate; D012825:Silicon