Purpose: The increasing interest and availability of non-standard positron-emitting radionuclides has heightened the relevance of radionuclide choice in the development and optimization of new positron emission tomography (PET) imaging procedures, both in preclinical research and clinical practice. Differences in achievable resolution arising from positron range can largely influence application suitability of each radionuclide, especially in small-ring preclinical PET where system blurring factors due to annihilation photon acollinearity and detector geometry are less significant. Some resolution degradation can be mitigated with appropriate range corrections implemented during image reconstruction, the quality of which is contingent on an accurate characterization of positron range. Procedures: To address this need, we have characterized the positron range of several standard and non-standard PET radionuclides (As-72, F-18, Ga-68, Mn-52, Y-86, and Zr-89) through imaging of small-animal quality control phantoms on a benchmark preclinical PET scanner. Further, the Particle and Heavy Ion Transport code System (PHITS v3.02) code was utilized for Monte Carlo modeling of positron range-dependent blurring effects.

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A pentapeptide macrocyclic ligand, KYCAR (lysyl-tyrosyl-cystyl-alanyl-arginine), has been designed as a potential chelating ligand for SPECT imaging and therapeutic in vivo agents. This study shows the synthesis and characterization of KYCAR complexes containing nonradioactive rhenium, 99mTc, or 188Re. The metal complexes were also biologically evaluated to determine in vivo distribution in healthy mice. The overall goals of this project were (1) to synthesize the Tc/Re pentapeptide complexes, (2) to identify spectroscopic methods for characterization of syn versus anti rhenium peptide complexes, (3) to analyze the ex vivo stability, and (4) to assess the biological properties of the [99mTc]TcO-KYCAR and [188Re]ReO-KYCAR complexes in vivo. Details on these efforts are provided below. Methods NatRe/99mTc/188ReO-KYCAR complexes were synthesized, and macroscopic species were characterized via HPLC, IR, NMR, and CD. These characterization data were compared to the crystallographic data of ReO-KYC to assist in the assignment of diastereomers and to aid in the determination of the structure of the complex. Results The radiometal complexes were synthesized with high purity (>95%). HPLC, IR, NMR and CD data on the macroscopic natReO-KYCAR complexes confirm the successful complexation as well as the presence of two diastereomers in syn and anti conformations. Tracer level complexes show favorable stabilities ex vivo for 2+ hours. Conclusion Macroscopic metal complexes form diastereomers with the KYCAR ligand; however, this phenomenon is not readily observed on the tracer level due to the rapid interconversion. It was determined through pKa measurements that the macroscopic natReO-KYCAR complex is 0 at physiological pH. The [99mTc]TcO-KYCAR is stable in vitro while the [188Re]ReO-KYCAR shows 50% decomposition in PBS and serum. Biologically, the tracer level complexes clear through the hepatobiliary pathway. Some decomposition of both tracers is evident by uptake in the thyroid and stomach.