Rapid and efficient purification of positron emission tomography probes by hydrophilic interaction chromatography

A rapid and efficient preparative high-performance liquid chromatographic procedure was established to purify short-lived positron emission tomography radio-probes. This method is based on hydrophilic interaction chromatography utilizing a semi-preparative silica column (10 mm I.D.) and a high volatile organic mobile phase (>90% acetonitrile). In nine different radiopharmaceuticals studied, six compounds could be separated from the unlabeled precursor with good resolution and faster elution than its precursor. These characteristics enabled significant shortening of the separation and evaporation processes in the manufacture of short-lived radiopharmaceuticals. Several ¹¹C-radiopharmaceuticals could be prepared within one half-life of carbon-11 (20.4 min), including radiosynthesis, purification and formulation steps with sufficient radiochemical/chemical purity and high levels of radioactivity/specific radioactivity.