SINAPSE is developing a multicentre radiochemistry imaging research base across Scotland. The infrastructure in place across the SINAPSE network includes: cyclotrons, radiochemistry labs, PET/CT, Preclinical PET/CT and clinical SPECT, including a high performance neuroSPECT.
Our PET and SPECT facilities allow SINAPSE to undertake translatable research (from laboratory bench to clinic) in neuroscience.
Increasingly PET and SPECT are being used by SINAPSE to assist the development of new drug therapies where they can provide information on the biodistribution and action of new pharmaceutical treatments.
As PET and SPECT imaging both require the use of suitably radiolabelled tracers, our molecular imaging groups across the network are developing more of these novel materials. Our Molecular Imaging research centres at Aberdeen, Edinburgh and Glasgow have access to novel tracer development and production laboratories and expertise. A PET/CT camera is also been installed in Dundee which will allow use of tracers developed and supplied in collaboration with the other centres.
In order to supply PET and SPECT radiotracers for human use, a licence issued by the Medicines and Health Products Regulatory Authority (MHRA) is required and the production lab must be operated in accordance with the Good Manufacturing Practice (GMP) rules. Facilities are also regulated by the Scottish Environmental Protection Agency (SEPA) to ensure radiolabelled materials are handled correctly. Our investment in staff and facilities across the network helps ensure we can deliver clinical research in compliance with these regulations.
Aberdeen
Clinical PET research has been carried out in Aberdeen for over 15 years. The PET CT camera (a GE Discovery STe PET/CT) was upgraded in 2005 and is adjacent to the tracer development facility, nuclear medicine and MRI units. There is a pre-clinical PET/CT scanner (GE eXplore Vista PET/CT) in the Medical Research Facility, used for a range of pre-clinical and translational studies.
The cyclotron production facility is co-located with the clinical PET/ CT machine in the John Mallard Scottish PET Centre and supports tracer production for both clinical and pre-clinical PET scanners. Radiochemistry researchers in Aberdeen have a long history of ligand and image processing development. They apply parametric and kinetic modelling tools to a variety of research areas including breast cancer, brain tumours, femoral head resurfacing and dietary metabolism.
In Nuclear Medicine there is expertise in radionuclide compartmental modelling, shape analysis, SPM and researchers have developed a suite of tools for multi site clinical imaging trials and meta analyses. There is considerable expertise in use of HMPAO SPECT as a biomarker for novel drug development in Alzheimer's disease and in development of FP-CIT SPECT training tools in Parkinsonian disorders.
Edinburgh
Opening in late 2009, The Edinburgh Positron Emission Tomography (PET) facility will be part of the Clinical Research Imaging Centre, CRIC, which is based at Queen's Medical Research Institute (QMRI), at Little France. The PET facility will have a Siemens PET/CT scanner, located adjacent to the Toshiba 320 slice research CT scanner. The PET tracer production unit will be equipped with a GE PETtrace Cyclotron capable of producing the essential PET Isotopes of 18F Fluorine, 11C Carbon and 15O Oxygen. The production facility will have the equipment to undertake a range of chemistries to incorporate these isotopes into PET radiotracers in compliance with GMP.
Quality control of all the radiopharmaceuticals will be undertaken by dedicated staff. A blood analysis laboratory will support more complex research scan protocols. A small packaging and shipping facility is intended to support other University departments and aid deployment of novel tracers in PET facilities across Scotland.
Glasgow
The neuroimaging tracer development group in Glasgow has an excellent track record over the last 15 years in the development of novel SPECT tracers. This has been achieved by establishing a multidisciplinary team of researchers across NHS and University facilities. The collaboration between academic groups in synthetic chemistry, radiochemistry and biology with clinical teams provides the expertise required for radiotracer development and use. The group can produce and screen libraries of novel compounds, as potential new tracers. Radiolabelling of promising candidates allows these new materials to be tested both in-vitro and in-vivo before proceeding to clinical studies.
Since 2006 Glasgow researchers have been using a micro-SPECT (MollyQ50; Neurophysics) for in-vivo studies. The recent installation of a new NHS PET/CT camera, cyclotron unit and associated radiochemistry labs is expanding this expertise into the production of novel PET tracers for clinical research imaging studies. We have facilitated the expansion of this collaboration to include all Scottish molecular imaging centres enhancing the capabilities across the network.
