A remote controlled system for the preparation of 7α-[18F]fluoro-17α-methyl 5α-dihydrotestosterone ([18F]FMDHT) using microwave

For non-invasive imaging of the prostate cancer, we synthesized 7α-fluoro-17α-methyl 5α-dihydrotestosterone ([18F]FMDHT) for androgen receptor mediated PET imaging. Preliminary in vitro and in vivo evaluations of this compound show promise. We designed and implemented a remote controlled system for reliable, efficient, and safe handling of radioactivity during the radiochemical synthesis of [18F]FMDHT. The key features of this report are the microwave assisted radiochemical synthesis, increased radiochemical yields, improved radiochemical purity, reduced overall synthesis time, and remote controlled automation of the entire synthesis. The overall synthesis using microwave reaction took 60–70 min and provided the desired product in 20–30% radiochemical yields with >99% radiochemical purity.