Preparation and preliminary biodistribution of "no carrier added" fluorine1-8 fluoroethanol.

No-carrier-added [18F] fluoroethanol has been prepared by two routes. The first involves fluoride-ion displacement on alpha-p-toluene sulfonyl ethyl glycolate followed by reduction of the alpha-fluoroethyl acetate. The second involves a ring-opening reaction on glycol sulfite to give an alpha-fluorosulfinic acid derivative that is hydrolyzed to fluoroethanol. The specific activity was measured as 10(5) Ci/millimole, and the stable fluorine-19 was traced to the cesium hydroxide used to trap the H18F. Following intracarotid injection, the labeled fluoroethanol was not trapped in the brain, and thus is not a microsphere analog as has been suggested. Tomographic images of the myocardium were obtained using the fluoroethanol as a tracer.