Purpose of the Study: To study quality control parameters of routinely prepared positron emission tomography (PET) radiopharmaceuticals. Materials and Methods: Three PET radiopharmaceuticals fluorine-18 fluorodeoxyglucose (F-18 FDG), N-13 ammonia (N-13 NH ₃ ), and Ga-68 DOTATATE (n = 25 each), prepared by standardized protocols were used. The radionuclide purity, radiochemical purity, residual solvents, pH, endotoxins, and sterility of these radiopharmaceuticals were determined. Results: The physical half-life of radionuclide in radiopharmaceuticals, determined by both graphical and formula method, demonstrated purity of radionuclides used. pH of all PET radiopharmaceuticals used was in the range of 5-6.5. No microbial growth was observed in radiopharmaceutical preparations. The residual solvents, chemical impurity, and pyrogens were within the permissible limits. Conclusions: All three PET radiopharmaceuticals were safe for intravenous administration.

For the growth and spread of a tumor beyond 2 mm, angiogenesis plays a crucial role, and association of various integrins with angiogenesis is evidential. The aim of the study was radiolabeling of DOTA-chelated RGD (arginine-glycine-aspartic acid) peptide with ⁶⁸ Ga for PET imaging in locally advanced breast carcinoma. DOTA-RGD was incubated with ⁶⁸ GaCl ₃ , eluted in 0.05 m HCl. Elution volume, peptide amount, and reaction pH were studied. Radio-ITLC, gas chromatography, endotoxin, and sterility testing were performed. Serial ( n =3) and whole-body ( n =2) PET/CT imaging was done on patients post i.v. injection of 111–185 MBq of ⁶⁸ Ga-DOTA-RGD. Maximum radiolabeling yield was achieved with 3 mL elution volume of 15–20 μg peptide at pH 3.5–4.0 with 10 minutes of incubation at 95°C. Product samples were sterile having 99.5% radiochemical purity with residual ethanol content and endotoxins in injectable limits. Intense radiotracer uptake was noticed in the tumor with SUV _max 15.3 at 45 minutes in serial images. Physiological radiotracer uptake was seen in the liver, spleen, ventricles, and thyroid with excretion through the kidneys. The authors concluded that ⁶⁸ Ga-DOTA-RGD has the potential for imaging α, _v β ₃ integrin-expressing tumors.

Parkinson’s disease (PD) and Parkinson plus syndromes (PPS) are neurodegenerative movement disorders caused by loss of dopamine in the basal ganglia. The diagnosis of both PD and PPS is complex as it is made solely on the basis of clinical features, with no established imaging modality to aid in the diagnosis. Technetium-99m-labeled tropane derivative (99mTc-TRODAT-1) binds to the dopamine transporters present in the presynaptic membrane of the dopaminergic nerve terminal. The aim of this prospective study was to investigate the potential usefulness of 99mTc-TRODAT-1 imaging in the diagnosis of PD and PPS. Fifty-eight patients with a clinical diagnosis of idiopathic PD or PPS were recruited. The severity of the disease was assessed using the Hoehn and Yahr scale. Patients in stage I and II were considered as cases of Early PD. Twenty-five apparently healthy volunteers served as controls. Brain single-photon emission computed tomography/computed tomography in all the participants was performed 3–4 h after an injection of 99mTc-TRODAT-1. Specific uptake ratios (SURs) of striatum were calculated for both the left and right striatum, and the values were compared between PD, PPS, and healthy volunteers. A significant lower uptake of tracer activity was found in either of the striatum in PD and PPS cases compared with the control group, which showed a symmetrical comma-shaped striatal uptake. This was also reflected in the SUR values, which were significantly higher in the control group in comparison with the PD and PPS patients (P<0.001). A significant difference was also found in the SUR values between the cases of early PD and control group (P<0.001).No significant difference was noted among the SUR values in different Hoehn and Yahr stages. For clinical practice, both the visual analysis and the quantitative parameters of 99mTc-TRODAT-1 single-photon emission computed tomography/computed tomography showed usefulness in distinguishing cases of PD and PPS from the healthy individuals.