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. 2021 Nov 18:1:778191.
doi: 10.3389/fnume.2021.778191. eCollection 2021.

Fully Automated 68Ga-Labeling and Purification of Macroaggregated Albumin Particles for Lung Perfusion PET Imaging

Frédérique Blanc-Béguin  1 , Julien Masset  2 , Philippe Robin  1 , Raphaël Tripier  3 , Simon Hennebicq  1 , Valérie Guilloux  4   5 , Charles Vriamont  2 , Corentin Warnier  2 , Virginie Cogulet  6 , Peter Eu  7 , Pierre-Yves Salaün  1 , Pierre-Yves Le Roux  1
Affiliations

Fully Automated 68Ga-Labeling and Purification of Macroaggregated Albumin Particles for Lung Perfusion PET Imaging

Frédérique Blanc-Béguin et al. Front Nucl Med. .

Abstract

Lung PET/CT is a promising imaging modality for regional lung function assessment. Our aim was to develop and validate a fast, simple, and fully automated GMP compliant [68Ga]Ga-MAA labeling procedure, using a commercially available [99mTc]Tc-MAA kit, a direct gallium-68 eluate and including a purification of the [68Ga]Ga-MAA. Method: The synthesis parameters (pH, heating temperature) were manually determined. Automated 68Ga-labeling of MAA was then developed on a miniAIO (Trasis®, Ans, Belgium) module. An innovative automated process was developed for the purification. The process was then optimized and adapted to automate both the [68Ga]Ga-MAA synthesis and the isolation of gallium-68 eluate required for the pulmonary ventilation PET/CT. Results: The 15-min process demonstrated high reliability and reproducibility, with high synthesis yield (>95 %). Mean [68Ga]Ga-MAA radiochemical purity was 99 % ± 0.6 %. The 68Ga-labeled MAA particles size and morphology remained unchanged. Conclusion: A fast, user friendly, and fully automated process to produce GMP [68Ga]Ga-MAA for clinical use was developed. This automated process combining the advantages of using a non-modified MAA commercial kit, a gallium-68 eluate without pre-purification and an efficient final purification of the [68Ga]Ga-MAA may facilitate the implementation of lung PET/CT imaging in nuclear medicine departments.

Keywords: [68Ga]Ga-MAA; automated purification; automated synthesis; gallium-68; perfusion PET/CT.

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Conflict of interest statement

The authors declare that the research was conducted in the absence of any commercial or financial relationships that could be construed as a potential conflict of interest.

Figures

Figure 1
Figure 1
Schematic representation of complete and optimized automated 68Ga-labeling of MAA on mini AIO module with positions of reagent vials. MAA suspended in sodium acetate solution are placed in position 4 (D on the schema), 0.9% NaCl is placed in position 6. The [68Ga]Ga-MAA purification unit is placed in position 12.
Figure 2
Figure 2
Schematic representation of the [68Ga]Ga-MAA purification stage.
Figure 3
Figure 3
Thin layer chromatography of [68Ga]Ga-MAA suspension produced with the process for clinical use. The green region is the radioactivity due to the [68Ga]Ga-MAA.
Figure 4
Figure 4
SEM images of: (A) MAA before labeling and (B) stable gallium MAA from synthesis with the process for clinical use.
See this image and copyright information in PMC

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