Abstract:
Microfluidic radiopharmaceutical production system and process for synthesizing per run approximately, but not less than, ten (10) unit doses of radiopharmaceutical biomarker for use in positron emission tomography (PET). A radioisotope from an accelerator or other radioisotope generator is introduced into a reaction vessel, along with organic and aqueous reagents, and the mixture heated to synthesize a solution of a pre-selected radiopharmaceutical. The solution is purified by passing through a combination of solid phase extraction purification components, trap and release components, and a filter. The synthesis process reduces waste and allows for production of biomarker radiopharmaceuticals on site and close to the location where the unit dose will be administered to the patient. On-site, as-needed production of radiopharmaceuticals in small doses reduces the time between synthesis of the radiopharmaceutical and administration of that radiopharmaceutical, minimizing loss of active isotopes through decay and allowing production of lesser amounts of radioisotopes overall.

Description:
CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS 
       [0001]    This Application is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 13/446,334, filed Apr. 13, 2012, which is a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/565,544, filed Sep. 23, 2009, now U.S. Pat. No. 8,333,952, and a continuation-in-part of U.S. patent application Ser. No. 12/565,552, filed Sep. 23, 2009. The contents of the foregoing applications are incorporated herein by reference. 
     
    
     STATEMENT REGARDING FEDERALLY-SPONSORED RESEARCH OR DEVELOPMENT 
       [0002]    Not Applicable 
       BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
       [0003]    1. Field of Invention 
         [0004]    This invention concerns a chemical apparatus and process for synthesizing and purifying radiopharmaceuticals for use in positron emission tomography (PET). Specifically, the present invention relates to a system for analyzing a liquid sample of PET biomarker. 
         [0005]    2. Description of the Related Art 
         [0006]    A biomarker is used to interrogate a biological system and can be created by “tagging” or labeling certain molecules, including biomolecules, with a radioisotope. A biomarker that includes a positron-emitting radioisotope is required for positron-emission tomography (PET), a noninvasive diagnostic imaging procedure that is used to assess perfusion or metabolic, biochemical and functional activity in various organ systems of the human body. Because PET is a very sensitive biochemical imaging technology and the early precursors of disease are primarily biochemical in nature, PET can detect many diseases before anatomical changes take place and often before medical symptoms become apparent. PET is similar to other nuclear medicine technologies in which a radiopharmaceutical is injected into a patient to assess metabolic activity in one or more regions of the body. However, PET provides information not available from traditional imaging technologies, such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), computed tomography (CT) and ultrasonography, which image the patient&#39;s anatomy rather than physiological images. Physiological activity provides a much earlier detection measure for certain forms of disease, cancer in particular, than do anatomical changes over time. 
         [0007]    A positron-emitting radioisotope undergoes radioactive decay, whereby its nucleus emits positrons. In human tissue, a positron inevitably travels less than a few millimeters before interacting with an electron, converting the total mass of the positron and the electron into two photons of energy. The photons are displaced at approximately 180 degrees from each other, and can be detected simultaneously as “coincident” photons on opposite sides of the human body. The modern PET scanner detects one or both photons, and computer reconstruction of acquired data permits a visual depiction of the distribution of the isotope, and therefore the tagged molecule, within the organ being imaged. 
         [0008]    Most clinically-important positron-emitting radioisotopes are produced in a cyclotron. Cyclotrons operate by accelerating electrically-charged particles along outward, quasi-spherical orbits to a predetermined extraction energy generally on the order of millions of electron volts. The high-energy electrically-charged particles form a continuous beam that travels along a predetermined path and bombards a target. When the bombarding particles interact in the target, a nuclear reaction occurs at a sub-atomic level, resulting in the production of a radioisotope. The radioisotope is then combined chemically with other materials to synthesize a radiochemical or radiopharmaceutical (hereinafter “radiopharmaceutical”) suitable for introduction into a human body. The cyclotrons traditionally used to produce radioisotopes for use in PET have been large machines requiring great commitments of physical space and radiation shielding. These requirements, along with considerations of cost, made it unfeasible for individual hospitals and imaging centers to have facilities on site for the production of radiopharmaceuticals for use in PET. 
         [0009]    Thus, in current standard practice, radiopharmaceuticals for use in PET are synthesized at centralized production facilities. The radiopharmaceuticals then must be transported to hospitals and imaging centers up to 200 miles away. Due to the relatively short half-lives of the handful of clinically important positron-emitting radioisotopes, it is expected that a large portion of the radioisotopes in a given shipment will decay and cease to be useful during the transport phase. To ensure that a sufficiently large sample of active radiopharmaceutical is present at the time of the application to a patient in a PET procedure, a much larger amount of radiopharmaceutical must be synthesized before transport. This involves the production of radioisotopes and synthesis of radiopharmaceuticals in quantities much larger than one (1) unit dose, with the expectation that many of the active atoms will decay during transport. 
         [0010]    The need to transport the radiopharmaceuticals from the production facility to the hospital or imaging center (hereinafter “site of treatment”) also dictates the identity of the isotopes selected for PET procedures. Currently, fluorine isotopes, and especially fluorine-18 (or F-18) enjoy the most widespread use. The F-18 radioisotope is commonly synthesized into [ 18 F]fluorodeoxyglucose, or [ 18 F]FDG, for use in PET. F-18 is widely used mainly because its half-life, which is approximately 110 minutes, allows for sufficient time to transport a useful amount. The current system of centralized production and distribution largely prohibits the use of other potential radioisotopes. In particular, carbon-11 has been used for PET, but its relatively short half-life of 20.5 minutes makes its use difficult if the radiopharmaceutical must be transported any appreciable distance. Similar considerations largely rule out the use of nitrogen-13 (half-life: 10 minutes) and oxygen-15 (half-life: 2.5 minutes). 
         [0011]    As with any medical application involving the use of radioactive materials, quality control is important in the synthesis and use of PET biomarker radiopharmaceuticals, both to safeguard the patient and to ensure the effectiveness of the administered radiopharmaceutical. For example, for the synthesis of [ 18 F]FDG from mannose triflate, a number of quality control tests exist. The final [ 18 F]FDG product should be a clear, transparent solution, free of particulate impurities; therefore, it is important to test the color and clarity of the final radiopharmaceutical solution. The final radiopharmaceutical solution is normally filtered through a sterile filter before administration, and it is advisable to test the integrity of that filter after the synthesized radiopharmaceutical solution has passed through it. The acidity of the final radiopharmaceutical solution must be within acceptable limits (broadly a pH between 4.5 and 7.5 for [ 18 F]FDG, although this range may be different depending upon the application and the radiopharmaceutical tracer involved). The final radiopharmaceutical solution should be tested for the presence and levels of volatile organics, such as ethanol or methyl cyanide, that may remain from synthesis process. Likewise, the solution should be tested for the presence of crown ethers or other reagents used in the synthesis process, as the presence of these reagents in the final dose is problematic. Further, the radiochemical purity of the final solution should be tested to ensure that it is sufficiently high for the solution to be useful. Other tests, such as tests of radionuclide purity, tests for the presence of bacterial endotoxins, and tests of the sterility of the synthesis system, are known in the art. 
         [0012]    At present, most or all of these tests are performed on each batch of radiopharmaceutical, which will contain several doses. The quality control tests are performed separately by human technicians, and completing all of the tests typically requires between 45 and 60 minutes. 
       BRIEF SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
       [0013]    In the present invention, a PET biomarker production system includes a radioisotope generator, a radiopharmaceutical production module, and a quality control module. PET biomarker production system is designed to produce approximately ten (10) unit doses of a radiopharmaceutical biomarker very efficiently. The overall assembly includes a small, low-power cyclotron, particle accelerator or other radioisotope generator (hereinafter “accelerator”) for producing approximately ten (10) unit doses of a radioisotope. The system also includes a microfluidic chemical production module. The chemical production module or CPM receives the unit dose of the radioisotope and reagents for synthesizing the unit dose of a radiopharmaceutical. 
         [0014]    The accelerator produces per run a maximum quantity of radioisotope that is approximately equal to the quantity of radioisotope required by the microfluidic chemical production module to synthesize ten doses of biomarker. Chemical synthesis using microreactors or microfluidic chips (or both) is significantly more efficient than chemical synthesis using conventional (macroscale) technology. Percent yields are higher and reaction times are shorter, thereby significantly reducing the quantity of radioisotope required in synthesizing a unit dose of radiopharmaceutical. Accordingly, because the accelerator is for producing per run only such relatively small quantities of radioisotope, the maximum power of the beam generated by the accelerator is approximately two to three orders of magnitude less than that of a conventional particle accelerator. As a direct result of this dramatic reduction in maximum beam power, the accelerator is significantly smaller and lighter than a conventional particle accelerator, has less stringent infrastructure requirements, and requires far less electricity. Additionally, many of the components of the small, low-power accelerator are less expensive than the comparable components of conventional accelerators. Therefore, it is feasible to use the low-power accelerator and accompanying CPM within the grounds of the site of treatment. Because radiopharmaceuticals need not be synthesized at a central location and then transported to distant sites of treatment, less radiopharmaceutical need be produced, and different isotopes, such as carbon-11, may be used if desired. 
         [0015]    If the accelerator and CPM are in the basement of the hospital or just across the street from the imaging center, then radiopharmaceuticals for PET can be administered to patients almost immediately after synthesis. However, eliminating or significantly reducing the transportation phase does not eliminate the need to perform quality control tests on the CPM and the resultant radiopharmaceutical solution itself. Still, it is essential to reduce the time required to perform these quality control tests in order to take advantage of the shortened time between synthesis and administration. The traditional 45 to 60 minutes required for quality control tests on radiopharmaceuticals produced in macro scale is clearly inadequate. Further, since the accelerator and the CPM are producing a radiopharmaceutical solution that is approximately just ten (10) unit doses, it is important that the quality control tests not use too much of the radiopharmaceutical solution; after some solution has been sequestered for testing, enough radiopharmaceutical solution must remain to make up an effective unit dose. 
         [0016]    The sample card and quality control module allow operators to conduct quality control tests in reduced time using micro-scale test samples from the radiopharmaceutical solution. The sample card works in conjunction with the CPM to collect samples of radiopharmaceutical solution on the scale of up to 100 microliters per sample. The sample card then interacts with the quality control module (or QCM) to feed the samples into a number of test vessels, where the samples undergo a number of automated diagnostic tests. Because the quality control tests are automated and run in parallel on small samples, the quality control testing process may be completed in under 20 minutes. Further, under the traditional system of macroscale radiopharmaceutical synthesis and quality control testing, a radiopharmaceutical solution would be produced as a batch, and quality control tests would be performed on the entire batch, with each batch producing several doses of radiopharmaceutical. Here, because the PET biomarker production system produces approximately one unit dose per run, at least some quality control tests may be performed on every dose, rather than on the batch as a whole. 
         [0017]    In some embodiments of the present general inventive concept, a disposable microfluidic radiopharmaceutical synthesis card system includes at least one reaction vessel adapted to receive a radioisotope and at least one reagent, said reaction vessel being in energy-transfer communication with an energy source, whereby when said radioisotope and said at least one reagent are mixed in said reaction vessel and energy is provided to said reaction vessel from said energy source, a radiopharmaceutical solution is synthesized; at least one purification component used to purify said radiopharmaceutical solution; a filter adapted to sterilize said radiopharmaceutical solution; a sterile vessel adapted to receive sterile radiopharmaceutical solution following the passage of said radiopharmaceutical solution through said purification column and said filter, said sterile vessel to hold multiple unit doses of radiopharmaceutical; and a port in said vessel used to extract a sample of said radiopharmaceutical for quality control testing; wherein said reaction vessel, said purification component, said port, and said filter are incorporated into a disposable card, said card being discarded after one (1) run, and wherein said system is scaled to produce per run multiple unit doses of radiopharmaceutical. 
         [0018]    Some embodiments also include a sample card adapted to receive multiple aliquots of said purified radiopharmaceutical solution for testing following said purified radiopharmaceutical solution&#39;s passage through said purification column. 
         [0019]    In some embodiments, any number of said at least one purification component is selected from the group consisting of trap and release, and solid phase extraction. 
         [0020]    In some embodiments, at least one of said reagents is located on the card. 
         [0021]    In some embodiments, the radioisotope is selected from the group consisting of carbon-11, nitrogen-13, oxygen-15, fluorine-18, iodine-124, and gallium-68. 
         [0022]    In some embodiments, the radiopharmaceutical is selected from the group consisting of [18F]-2-fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose, [18F]Sodium Floride, [18F]3′-deoxy- 3′fluorothymidine, [18 F]fluoromisonidazole, [18F]flurocholine, [18F]Fallypride, [18F]Florbetaben, [18F]Florbetapir, [18F]-fluoro-ethyl-tyrosine, [18F]flutemetamol, [18F]FDOPA, [11C]Choline, [11C]methionine, [11C]acetate, [11C]N-Methylspiperone, [11C]Carfentanil and [11C]Raclopride. 
         [0023]    In some embodiments, a unique identifying barcode/RF id chip is used to identify said radiopharmaceutical. In some embodiments, a unique identifying barcode/RF id chip is used by an Automated Radiopharmaceutical Production and Quality Control System to identify a particular radiopharmaceutical solution run. 
         [0024]    In some embodiments, the vessel adapted to receive said radiopharmaceutical solution includes a syringe. 
         [0025]    In some embodiments, the vessel adapted to receive said radiopharmaceutical solution includes a vial. 
         [0026]    In some embodiments of the present general inventive concept, a disposable microfluidic radiopharmaceutical synthesis card encompasses at least one reaction vessel adapted to receive a radioisotope and at least one reagent, said reaction vessel being in energy-transfer communication with an energy source, whereby when said radioisotope and said at least one reagent are mixed in said reaction vessel and energy is provided to said reaction vessel from said energy source, a radiopharmaceutical solution is synthesized; at least one purification component used to purify said radiopharmaceutical solution; a port used to extract a sample of said radiopharmaceutical solution for quality control testing; a filter adapted to sterilize said radiopharmaceutical solution; and a sterile dispensing device to receive sterile radiopharmaceutical solution following the passage of said radiopharmaceutical solution through said purification column and said filter, said sterile vessel to hold multiple unit doses of radiopharmaceutical. 
         [0027]    In some embodiments, at least one of said at least one purification component is selected from the group consisting of trap and release, and solid phase extraction. 
         [0028]    In some embodiments, at least one of said reagents is located on the card. 
         [0029]    In some embodiments, said radioisotope is selected from the group consisting of carbon-11, nitrogen-13, oxygen-15, fluorine-18, iodine-124, and gallium-68. 
         [0030]    In some embodiments, said radiopharmaceutical is selected from the group consisting of [18F]-2-fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose, [18F]Sodium Floride, [18F]3′-deoxy-3′fluorothymidine, [18F]fluoromisonidazole, [18F]flurocholine, [18F]Fallypride, [18F]Florbetaben, [18F]Florbetapir, [18F]-fluoro-ethyl-tyrosine, [18F] flutemetamol, [18F]FDOPA, [11C]Choline, [11C]methionine, [11C]acetate, [11C]N-Methylspiperone, [11C] Carfentanil and [11C]Raclopride. 
         [0031]    In some embodiments, a unique identifying barcode/RF id chip is used to identify said radiopharmaceutical. 
         [0032]    In some embodiments, said sterile dispensing device to receive said radiopharmaceutical solution includes a syringe. 
         [0033]    In some embodiments, wherein said sterile dispensing device to receive said radiopharmaceutical solution includes a vial. 
         [0034]    In some embodiments of the present general inventive concept, a method of preparing a radiopharmaceutical solution includes supplying a radioisotope to a reaction vessel located on a disposable card; supplying at least one reagent to said reaction vessel; applying energy to said reaction vessel to synthesize a radiopharmaceutical solution from said radioisotope and said at least one reagent; passing the radiopharmaceutical solution through at least one purification component located on said disposable card; extracting a sample of the radiopharmaceutical solution for quality control testing; passing the radiopharmaceutical solution through a filter located on said card; and delivering the radiopharmaceutical solution to a sterile dispensing device located on said card. 
         [0035]    In some embodiments, the extraction of a sample of the radiopharmaceutical solution for quality control testing takes place before passing the radiopharmaceutical solution through a filter located on said card. 
         [0036]    In some embodiments, said method further comprises gamma-irradiation of the radiopharmaceutical solution. 
     
    
     
       BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE SEVERAL VIEWS OF THE DRAWINGS 
         [0037]    The above-mentioned features of the invention will become more clearly understood from the following detailed description of the invention read together with the drawings in which: 
           [0038]      FIG. 1  is an schematic illustration of one embodiment of the overall PET biomarker production system, including the accelerator, the chemical production module (CPM), the dose synthesis card, the sample card, and the quality control module (QCM); 
           [0039]      FIG. 2  is another view of the embodiment shown in  FIG. 1 , showing the sample card interacting with the quality control module (QCM); 
           [0040]      FIG. 3  is a flow diagram of one embodiment of the chemical production module (CPM), the dose synthesis card, and the sample card; 
           [0041]      FIG. 4  is a flow diagram of one embodiment of the sample card interacting with one embodiment of the quality control module (QCM); 
           [0042]      FIG. 5  is a schematic illustration of an embodiment of the dose synthesis card and the sample card; 
           [0043]      FIG. 6  is a schematic illustration of an embodiment of the dose synthesis card which only has a connection line to QC system and no sample card; and 
           [0044]      FIG. 7  is a schematic illustration of a automated radiopharmaceutical production system with automated QC which does not require a sample card. 
       
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION 
       [0045]    A chemical production module and dose synthesis card for a PET biomarker radiopharmaceutical production system are described more fully hereinafter. This invention may, however, be embodied in many different forms and should not be construed as limited to the embodiments set forth herein. Rather, these embodiments are provided to ensure that this disclosure is thorough and complete, and to ensure that it fully conveys the scope of the invention to those skilled in the art. 
         [0046]    The chemical production module, the dose synthesis card and the sample card operate in conjunction with a complete PET biomarker production system. As shown in  FIG. 1 , one embodiment of this PET biomarker production system comprises an accelerator  10 , which produces the radioisotopes; a chemical production module (or CPM)  20 ; a dose synthesis card  30 ; a sample card  40 ; and a quality control module (or QCM)  50 . Once the accelerator  10  has produced a radioisotope, the radioisotope travels via a radioisotope delivery tube  112  to the dose synthesis card  30  attached to the CPM  20 . The CPM  20  holds reagents and solvents that are required during the radiopharmaceutical synthesis process. In the dose synthesis card  30 , the radiopharmaceutical solution is synthesized from the radioisotope and then purified for testing and administration. Following synthesis and purification, a small percentage of the resultant radiopharmaceutical solution is diverted into the sample card  40 , while the remainder flows into a dose vessel  200 .  FIG. 7  shows an embodiment of the automatic production system with a QC system that does not require a sample card  51 . As shown in  FIG. 2 , once samples of the radiopharmaceutical solution have flowed into the sample card  40 , an operator removes the sample card  40  from the CPM  20  and interfaces it with the QCM  50 , where a number of diagnostic instruments perform automated quality control tests on the samples. 
         [0047]      FIGS. 3 and 4  present a more detailed overview of the complete synthesis and quality control testing processes for one embodiment of the present invention. In this embodiment, the radioisotope involved is flourine-18 (F-18), produced from the bombardment in a cyclotron of heavy water containing the oxygen-18 isotope. However, the sample card and quality control module also work with radiopharmaceutical synthesis systems using other radioisotopes, including carbon-11, nitrogen-13, and oxygen-15. 
         [0048]    As shown in  FIG. 3 , the radioisotope enters a reaction chamber or reaction vessel  110  from the radioisotope delivery tube  112 . At this stage, the radioisotope F- 18  is still mixed with quantities of heavy water from the biomarker generator. Next, a first organic ingredient is introduced to the reaction vessel  110  from a reagent storage compartment  120  by an organic input pump  124 . In some embodiments, the first organic ingredient includes a solution of potassium complexed to 1,10-diaza-4,7,13,16,21,24-hexaoxabicyclo[8.8.8]hexacosane (commonly called Kryptofix 222™, hereinafter “kryptofix”) or a similar crown ether. In many embodiments, the potassium-kryptofix complex or similar organometallic complex is carried by acetonitrile as solvent. The potassium activates the F-18 fluoride radioisotope, while the kryptofix binds the potassium atoms and inhibits the formation of a potassium-fluoride complex. Next, a gas input  142  fills the reaction vessel  110  with an inert gas such as dry nitrogen, the gas having been stored in a storage area  140  within or near the CPM  20 . Next, the mixture in the reaction vessel  110  is heated by the nearby heat source  114  to remove the residual heavy water by evaporating the azeotropic water/acetonitrile mixture. A vacuum  150  helps to remove the vaporized water. Then, the organic input pump  124  adds a second organic ingredient from a second reagent storage compartment  122  to the mixture in the reaction vessel  110 . In many embodiments, the second organic ingredient is mannose triflate in dry acetonitrile. 
         [0049]    In some embodiments of the present general inventive concept, the reaction vessel  110  is in energy-transfer communication with an energy source, whereby when said radioisotope and said at least one reagent are mixed in said reaction vessel and energy is provided to said reaction vessel from said energy source, a radiopharmaceutical solution is synthesized. In various embodiments, the energy used to activate and/or drive the reaction within the reaction vessel  110  includes heat, microwave radiation, IR radiation, UV radiation, or similar forms of energy. In some embodiments, the solution is heated at approximately 110 degrees Celsius for approximately two minutes. The F-18 has bonds to the mannose to form the immediate precursor for [ 18 F]FDG, commonly 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose tetraacetate (FTAG). Next, aqueous acid—in many embodiments, aqueous hydrochloric acid—is introduced from a storage compartment  130  through an aqueous input pump  132 . The hydrochloric acid removes the protective acetyl groups on the  18 F-FTAG, leaving  18 F-fludeoxyglucose (i.e. [ 18 F]FDG). 
         [0050]    The [ 18 F]FDG having been synthesized, it must be purified before testing and administration. The [ 18 F]FDG in solution passes from the reaction vessel  110  through a solid phase extraction column  160 . In some embodiments of the present invention, the solid phase extraction column  160  comprises a length filled with an ion exchange resin, a length filled with alumina, and a length filled with carbon-18. The [ 18 F]FDG next passes through a filter  170 , which in many embodiments includes a Millipore filter with pores approximately 0.22 micrometers in diameter. 
         [0051]    Once the radiopharmaceutical solution has passed through the filter  170 , some of the solution is diverted into the sample card  40 , which contains a number of sample vessels  402   a - e.,  which in some embodiments each hold approximately 10 microliters of solution. The number of sample vessels will vary according to the number of quality control tests to be performed for that run, and the system is adapted to operate with different sample cards containing varying numbers of sample vessels. The remainder of the radiopharmaceutical solution (i.e. all of the solution that is not diverted for quality control testing) flows into the dose vessel  200 , ready for administration to a patient. 
         [0052]    Once the samples are in the sample vessels  402   a - e  of the sample card  40 , an operator inserts the sample card  40  into the QCM  50 , as is shown in  FIG. 2 . As shown in  FIG. 4 , the radiopharmaceutical samples travel from the sample vessels  402   a - e  into the test vessels  502 ,  602 ,  702 ,  802 , and  902  within the QCM  50 . Within the QCM  50 , instruments exist to perform a number of automated quality control tests for each run of radiopharmaceutical produced by the radiopharmaceutical synthesis system. 
         [0053]    To test for color and clarity, a light source  504  shines white light through the sample in the test vessel  502 . An electronic eye  506  then detects the light that has passed through the sample and measures that light&#39;s intensity and color against reference samples. 
         [0054]    To test the acidity of the radiopharmaceutical solution, pH test device  604 , i.e. a pH probe or pH colorstrip, measures the pH of the sample in the sample vessel  602 . 
         [0055]    To test for the presence of volatile organics, a heat source  704  heats the sample in the test vessel  702  to approximately 150 degrees Celsius so that the aqueous sample components, now is gas form, enter an adjacent gas chromatograph  706 . A gas sensor microarray  708  (informally, an “electronic nose”) then detects the presence and prevalence (e.g. as ppm) of such chemicals as methyl cyanide and ethanol. 
         [0056]    To test for the presence of kryptofix, the sample in the test vessel  802  is placed on a gel  804  comprising silica gel with iodoplatinate. The sample and gel  804  are then warmed, and a color recognition sensor  806  measures the resultant color of the sample, with a yellow color indicating the presence of kryptofix. 
         [0057]    To test the radiochemical purity of the sample, the sample in the test vessel  902  is eluted through a silica column  904  using a carrier mixture of acetonitrile and water. In some embodiments, the acetonitrile and water are mixed in a ratio of  9 : 1 . A radiation probe  906  measures the activity of the solution as it is eluted. As [ 18 F]FDG has an elution time that can be predicted with accuracy, the probe  906  measures the percentage of the activity that elutes at or very near to the predicted elution time for [ 18 F]FDG. A percentage of 95% or higher indicates acceptable radiochemical purity. 
         [0058]    Additionally, a filter integrity test is also performed for every dose that is produced. As shown in  FIG. 3 , after the radiopharmaceutical solution has gone through the filter  170 , the integrity of the filter  170  is tested by passing inert gas from the inert gas input  142  through the filter  170  at increasing pressure. A pressure sensor  302  measures the pressure of the inert gas upon the filter  170  and detects whether the filter  170  is still intact. The filter  170  should be capable of maintaining integrity under pressures of at least  50  pounds per square inch (psi). 
         [0059]      FIG. 5  displays a schematic view of one embodiment of the dose synthesis card  30   a  together with the attached sample card  40   a.  The dose synthesis card  30   a  includes a reaction vessel  110   a  where the radiopharmaceutical solution is synthesized, an additional line for automatic extraction of QC sample  1600 , and an RF ID chip or barcode  1602  for radiopharmaceutical identification. The purpose of the RF ID chip or barcode  1602  is to uniquely identify the type of radiopharmaceutical that is being produced so that a user does not mistakenly produce a radiopharmaceutical which is incompatible with the card. A radioisotope input  112   a  introduces the radioisotope F-18 into the reaction vessel  110   a  through a radioisotope input channel  1121 . At this stage, the radioisotope is still mixed with quantities of heavy water from the biomarker generator. Next, an organic input  124   a  introduces a solution of potassium-kryptofix complex in acetonitrile into the reaction vessel  110   a  through an organic input channel  1241 . A combination nitrogen-input and vacuum  154  pumps nitrogen gas into the reaction vessel  110   a  through a gas channel  1540   a  and a valve  1541 , which valve is at that time in an open position. The mixture in the reaction vessel  110   a  is heated in nitrogen atmosphere to azeotropically remove water from the mixture, the vaporized water being evacuated through the gas channel  1540   a  and the vacuum  154 . Next, the organic input  124   a  introduces mannose triflate in dry acetonitrile into the reaction vessel  110   a  through the organic input channel  1241 . The solution is heated at approximately 110 degrees Celsius for approximately two minutes. By this stage, the F- 18  has bonded to the mannose to form the immediate precursor for [ 18 F]FDG, FTAG. Next, aqueous hydrochloric acid is introduced into the reaction vessel  110   a  through an aqueous input  132   a  and an aqueous channel  1321 . The hydrochloric acid removes the protective acetyl groups on the intermediate  18 F-FTAG, leaving  18 F-fludeoxyglucose (i.e. [ 18 F]FDG).  FIG. 6  is an embodiment of the dose synthesis card with no sample card and only a QC draw line  400 . The necessity for a sample card is dependent on the radiopharmaceutical used for production. 
         [0060]    Having been synthesized, the [ 18 F]FDG in solution passes from the reaction vessel  110   a  through a post-reaction channel  1101  into a first separation column or purification component column  1601   a,  where some undesirable substances are removed from the solution, thereby clarifying the radiopharmaceutical solution. In some embodiments, the purification component column  160   a  comprises a solid phase extraction (SPE) having a length with an ion exchange resin, a length filled with alumina, and a length filled with carbon- 18 . The radiopharmaceutical passes through the first purification component column  1601   a  and in some embodiments passes through a second purification component  1601   b  with a mobile phase that in many embodiments includes acetonitrile from the organic input  124   a.  The purification components  1601   a,    1601   b  can be single phase extraction components or trap-and-release purification components depending on the radiopharmaceutical. As some of the mobile phase and impurities emerge from the purification components  1601   a,    1601   b,  they pass through a second post-reaction channel  1542  and through a three-way valve  175  and waste channel  1104  into a waste receptacle  210 . As the clarified radiopharmaceutical solution emerges from the SPE column  160   a,  the radiopharmaceutical solution next passes through the second post-reaction channel  1542  and through the three-way valve  175  into a filter channel  1103  and then through a filter  170   a.  The filter  170   a  removes other impurities (including particulate impurities), thereby further clarifying the radiopharmaceutical solution. In many embodiments the filter  170   a  includes a Millipore filter with pores approximately 0.22 micrometers in diameter. 
         [0061]    Once the radiopharmaceutical solution has passed through the filter  170   a,  the clarified radiopharmaceutical solution travels via the post-clarification channel  1105  into the sterile dose administration vessel  200   a,  which in the illustrated embodiment is incorporated into a syringe  202  or a collection vial. In some embodiments, the dose administration vessel is filled beforehand with a mixture of phosphate buffer and saline. As the clarified radiopharmaceutical solution fills the sterile dose administration vessel  200   a,  some of the solution is diverted through an extraction channel  1401 , an open valve  1403 , and a transfer channel  1402  into the sample card  40   a.  The sample card  40   a  contains a number of sample loops  404   a - h,  which hold separated aliquots of solution for imminent testing, and a number of valves  408   a - h,  which at this stage are closed. Once the test-sample aliquots of radiopharmaceutical solution are collected, the sample card  40   a  is separated from the dose synthesis card  30   a  and inserted into the QCM, as was shown in  FIGS. 2 and 4 . The aliquots then travel through the now-open valves  408   a - h  into the sample egress ports  406   a - h,  from which the aliquots pass into the test vessels, as was shown in  FIG. 4 . In the some embodiments, each of the sample loops  404   a - h  holds approximately 10 microliters of sample solution. The number of sample loops will vary according to the number of quality control tests to be performed for that run, and the system is adapted to operate with different sample cards containing varying numbers of sample loops. After the sample aliquots pass into the sample card  40 ′, any excess solution remaining in the dose administration vessel  200   a  is extracted by a vent  156  through a first venting channel  1560   b  and thence conveyed through an open valve  1561  and through a second venting channel  1560   a  into the waste receptacle  210 . The vacuum  154  evacuates residual solution from the transfer channel  1402  through a now-open valve  1403  and a solution evacuation channel  1540   b.    
         [0062]      FIG. 6  is a schematic illustration of another example embodiment of the present general inventive concept, illustrating dose synthesis card  30   b  without a sample card.  FIG. 7  shows the same example embodiment, illustrating the QC draw line  1600  connecting the dose synthesis card  30   b  to the QCM  51 . 
         [0063]    In some embodiments of the present invention, the CPM  20  holds sufficient amounts of reagents and solvents that are required during the radiopharmaceutical synthesis process to carry out multiple runs without reloading. Indeed, in some embodiments the CPM  20  is loaded with reagents and solvents approximately once per month, with that month&#39;s supply of reagents and solvents sufficient to produce several dozen or even several hundred doses of radiopharmaceutical. As the reagents and solvents are stored in the CPM  20 , it is easier than under previous systems to keep the reagents and solvents sterile and uncontaminated. In some embodiments, a sterile environment is supported and contamination inhibited by discarding each dose synthesis card  30  and the sample card  40  after one run; these components of the system are adapted to be disposable. 
         [0064]    Thus, each batch of reagents and solvents, loaded periodically into the CPM  20 , will supply a batch of multiple doses of radiopharmaceutical, each dose produced in a separate run. Some quality control tests are performed for every dose that is produced, while other quality control tests are performed for every batch of doses. For example, in one embodiment of the present invention, the filter integrity test, the color and clarity test, the acidity test, the volatile organics test, the chemical purity test, and the radiochemical purity test are performed for every dose. On the other hand, some quality control tests need be performed only once or twice per batch, such as the radionuclide purity test (using a radiation probe to measure the half-life of the F-18 in the [ 18 F]FDG), the bacterial endotoxin test, and the sterility test. These tests are performed generally on the first and last doses of each batch. Because these per-batch quality control tests are conducted less frequently, they may not be included in the QCM, but rather may be conducted by technicians using separate laboratory equipment. 
         [0065]    While the present invention has been illustrated by description of one embodiment, and while the illustrative embodiment has been described in detail, it is not the intention of the applicant to restrict or in any way limit the scope of the appended claims to such detail. Additional modifications will readily appear to those skilled in the art. The invention in its broader aspects is therefore not limited to the specific details, representative apparatus and methods, and illustrative examples shown and described. Accordingly, departures may be made from such details without departing from the spirit or scope of applicant&#39;s general inventive concept.