A self-contained laboratory encompassing 5500 sq-ft for production of radionuclides, synthesis of

radiopharmaceuticals, quantitative PET scanning and analysis of PET imaging information. Major resources

include the following:

1. Radionuclide Production: Scanditronix MC-17F dual particle cyclotron (17 MeV protons, 8.3 MeV

deuterons) for routine production of positron emitting nuclides. The cyclotron has a movable vertical

target ladder system capable of irradiating 8 separate targets (one at a time). Routine production of

carbon-11, nitrogen-13, oxygen-15, vanadium-48, and fluorine-18 are performed. The cyclotron is

completely automated for normal operation using a Siemens PLC. Extracted proton and deuteron beam

currents of 60 _A are possible.

2. PET Scanners: Siemens/CTI Biograph PET-CT system (3D only, 45 image planes, 6.3 mm transaxial

& 5.7 mm axial FWHM resolution, 925,000 cts/sec/_Ci/cc sensitivity [scatter corrected], 2 CT planes).

The LSO Biograph was installed in June 2003 and is the main clinical PET scanner. A new Biograph

PET system with 40 CT slices and respiratory gating will be installed at the end of August, 2006.

3. Siemens/CTI HR+ PET system (2D and 3D, 63 image planes, 4.5 mm transaxial & 4.2 mm axial FWHM

resolution, 1,036,000 cts/sec/_Ci/cc sensitivity [scatter corrected]). This system was installed in July,

2002. It was our primary PET scanner until the PET-CT was installed. It is now used for all clinical brain

and heart studies, and is the backup for our PET-CT. It will be the primary PET system for human

research studies with new radiotracers and for following metabolic response to therapy.

4. Radiochemistry Laboratory: The radiochemistry laboratory contains two large volume "windowed" hot

cells, four mini hot cells with remote TV monitoring, two radiochemistry hoods, laminar flow hood, 2

dedicated Nuclear Interface FDG synthesis modules, a general purpose Nuclear Interface carbon-11

synthesis module, a general purpose Nuclear Interface F-18 fluorination module, and a three chamber

computer controlled AtomLab dose calibrator. Two computers are used for master formulary tracking.

Real-time monitoring of potential radioactivity emissions and automated liquid target (O-18 water)

operations are accomplished with PC systems. Operation of all cyclotron and target functions are

routinely and remotely performed from the radiochemistry labs as well as other locations within the PET

Center. F-15 FDG and O-15 water are routinely prepared for human use. F-18 Fluorothymidine and C-

11 Choline are available for animal studies and are in Phase I human studies. We are preparing an IND

application for FLT, which should be submitted by October, 2006. A new radiochemistry laboratory

equipped with three hot cells is being brought into use. This lab contains 2 HPLC machines equipped

with variable wavelength UV and radioactivity detectors. Some precursor development work will be

performed in this lab.

5. Chemistry Laboratory: The cold chemistry labs (non-radioactive chemistry area) contain two chemistry

hoods, one laminar flow hood, and complete water purification system.

6. Quality Assurance Laboratory: The QA lab (quality control area) contains PC computers that control a

Bioscan radio-TLC scanner and two Dionex BioLC HPLC systems complete with electrochemical,

variable wavelength UV and radioactivity detectors. Two radio-GC systems are available for gaseous

compounds. All chromatographic systems are interfaced using National Instruments LabView software

with in-house customizations. Other instruments include dose calibrators and NaI (T1) well counters for

accurate determination of radioactivity (dose) and gamma spectroscopy of labeled

radiopharmaceuticals.

7. Support Laboratories: The PET Center include a physics and electronics lab with instrumentation for

design, fabrication and repair of all devices in the PET Center, a complete machine shop, and a

computer room with 6 linked PC computers running Linux and Windows operating systems.

8. Blood Sampling Systems: A calibrated, automated, on-line, beta detector system is employed for

continuous monitoring of arterial blood concentrations of O-15 water in quantitative blood flow studies.

A blood analysis area equipped with a microcentrifuge and a calibrated NaI well counter is available for

the analysis of discrete arterial and venous blood samples necessary for quantitative F-18 and C-11

imaging studies.

9. Computing Environment: PCs and Apple Macintosh workstations are used for data acquisition,

reconstruction and initial viewing of images. Image analysis (ROI drawing, image math, whole-body

interpretation) and physiological modeling (quantitative FDG, Patlak, blood flow) are routinely

performed on dynamically acquired data sets. High-speed Linux processors are used for Monte Carlo

simulations of detector design. Specialized image analysis programs have been developed in Siemens

ICON and research Systems IDL software. MEDx software (Sensor Systems) running on a Linux system provides SPM, image coregistration and rapid image processing functions.

Room Color Content Cold Chemistry Lab Radiochemistry Lab Cyclotron Vault Power Supply Room WC Machine Shop Offices Reception PET/CT Scanner PET Scanner Control Room Patient Prep Utility Maintance Computer Room QA Lab Physics and Electronics Lab Image Processing Conference & Reading Room Satellite P.E.T. HR+ in Nuclear Medicine Micro PET in MedLabs Key: Photos Quicktime VR Movie

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