Assessment of radionuclidic impurities in 2-[18F]fluoro-2-deoxy-d-glucose ([18F]FDG) routine production

In this paper, radionuclidic impurities generated during the bombardment of [18O]water in the routine production of 2-[18F]fluoro-2-deoxy-d-glucose ([18F]FDG) were studied. In order to assess such impurities and the efficacy of purification methods through the different steps of the synthesis, samples of the target filters, purification columns, [18O]water recovered after the synthesis, and the final solution was collected and their activities measured and analyzed by means of a gamma-ray spectrometry system. The data demonstrated that purification methods adopted for the synthesis provide the [18F]FDG radionuclidically pure, as requested by the EU Pharmacopeia.