Center for Radiochemistry Research Services

Our center provides advanced radiochemistry capabilities that can be applied to a wide range of research questions. The center includes labs, a cyclotron for radionuclide production, five cleanrooms for GMP-level synthesis of diagnostic agents for basic research, translational imaging and personalized medicine, all housed within a state-of-the-art facility. Our radiochemists are available to consult with scientists on and off campus who are looking to use these capabilities to further their research.  

List of services

  • Cyclotron production of short-lived radionuclides: 11C, 13N, 15O,
    18F, 89Zr and more
  • Precursors for introducing these radionuclides into larger
    molecules
  • Production of cGMP quality imaging agents for human and animal
    use
  • Quality control assays using GC-MS and HPLC-MS
  • Metabolite assays using HPLC with radioactivity, UV and MS
    detection
  • PET imaging data analysis. 
    CRR provides a suite of image-analysis workstations
  • Kinetic modeling of dynamic PET studies
  • INDs and regulatory support for imaging agents
  • Labeling of small molecules as well as peptides and proteins

Currently available imaging agents

  • 13N-ammonia for perfusion imaging
  • 15O-water for measuring blood flow
  • 18F-fluorothymidine, a thymidine analog for measuring cellular proliferation
  • 18F-fluoromisonidazole for imaging tissue hypoxia
  • 18F-fluoroestradial for measure estrogen receptor density in breast cancer
  • 18F-fluoride- bone uptake
  • 11C-meta-hydroxyephedrine, a norepinephrine analog for measuring NE reuptake (pre-synaptic function of the cardiac sympathetic nervous system, SNS)
  • 11C-CGP12177, a beta receptor antagonist to measure post-synaptic SNS function
  • 11C-verapamil for measure P-glycoprotein activity
  • 11C-rosuvastatin organic cation transporter
  • 11C-acetate for imaging fatty acid metabolism
  • 11C-flumazenil for imaging gabaergic receptors
  • 11C and 18F agents for imaging TSPO
  • 11C-quinuclidinyl benzyiate for imaging muscarinic receptors
  • 11C-nicotine –to assess nicotine
    absorption
  • 11C-glucose –to assess glucose
    metabolism (also 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose analog)
  • 11C-tetrabenazine –monoamine
    transport brain
  • 11C-PBR28 –bind TSPO for
    inflammation imaging
  • Multiple imaging agents for the dopaminergic and seritonergic system

Additional imaging agents may be available by request. Please contact us for a consultation.