>Magister Scientiae - MSc / Titanium dioxide (TiO2) has potential as an adsorbent within the 68Ge/68Ga generator context. To function effectively, three basic requirements are required: optimum 68Ga elution efficiency, stability and removal of the 68Ge breakthrough. After analysis of the 68Ga elution efficiency and the 68Ge breakthrough, two models are proposed, namely; surface modification and molecular imprinted polymer, to address factors influencing 68Ga elution efficiency and minimize 68Ge breakthrough. The surface modifiers that were investigated are 3-aminopolypropyltriethoxy silane (3-APTES), 3-mercaptopropyltrimethoxy silane (3-MPTMS), bis(3-aminopropyl)amine (BAPA) and 2-chloro-4,6-dimethoxy-1,3,5-triazine silane (CDMT). / 2023

Há mais de 50 anos os geradores de 68Ge/68Ga vêm sendo desenvolvidos, obtendo o 68Ga sem a necessidade da instalação de um cíclotron próximo à radiofarmácia ou ao centro hospitalar que tenha um PET/CT. O 68Ga é um emissor de pósitron com baixa emissão de fóton (β+, 89%, 1077 keV) e meia vida de 67,7 minutos, compatível com a farmacocinética de moléculas de baixo peso molecular, como peptídeos e fragmentos de anticorpos. Além disso, a química do Ga permite a ligação estável com agentes quelantes acoplados com peptídeos, como o DOTA. Todas estas características do 68Ga aliado a tecnologia PET/CT permitiram avanços em imagem molecular, como no diagnóstico de doenças de origem neuroendócrina. Entretanto, o eluato de 68Ga proveniente dos geradores de 68Ge/68Ga comerciais, ainda contém altos níveis de contaminantes, como o 68Ge e outros metais que competem quimicamente com o 68Ga, como o Fe3+ e Zn2+ e, como consequência, há redução do rendimento de marcação com biomoléculas. Quanto menor a quantidade de impurezas no eluato, a competição entre o peptídeo radiomarcado e peptídeo não marcado será menor e a qualidade de imagem será melhor, por isso existe a necessidade de diminuir a quantidade destes metais. Portanto, os objetivos deste trabalho são avaliar os métodos de purificação do 68Ga para a marcação de biomoléculas, com ênfase no estudo das impurezas químicas presentes nos radioisótopos primários, e desenvolver um método de purificação inédito. Diversos métodos de purificação foram estudados. Na purificação em resina catiônica tradicional e comercial, em que o 68Ga é adsorvido em resina catiônica e eluído em uma solução de acetona/ácido, a resina utilizada não é disponível comercialmente. Várias resinas catiônicas foram testadas simulando o processo comercial, e o uso das menores partículas da resina catiônica AG50W-X4 (200-400 mesh) foi a que apresentou os melhores resultados. Um método inovador foi a cromatografia por extração, onde o éter diisopropílico é adsorvido em resina XAD 16 e o 68Ga eluído em água deionizada. Apesar dos resultados de recuperação do 68Ga e a separação entre o 68Ga e o 65Zn terem sido bons, não houve reprodutibilidade na purificação dos metais. O método mais promissor e inédito foi a purificação do 68Ga em resina catiônica em meio básico que apresentou bons resultados, principalmente em relação à redução do Zn (98 ± 2)%, o contaminante químico encontrado em maior abundância no eluato de 68Ga. A redução total de impurezas foi (95 ± 4)%. Os peptídeos DOTATOC/DOTATATO foram marcados com o 68Ga em três diferentes formas: purificado em meio básico, por extração por solventes e sem a purificação prévia, o melhor resultado de rendimento de marcação do 68Ga DOTATATO foi obtido após a purificação do 68Ga em meio básico, comprovando a eficiência do processo. / For more than fifty years, the long-lived 68Ge/68Ga generators have been in development, obtaining 68Ga without the need of having in house cyclotron, which is a considerable convenience for PET centers that have no nearby cyclotrons. 68Ga decays 89% by positron emission and low photon emission (1077 keV) and the physical half life of 67.7 minutes is compatible with the pharmacokinetics of low biomolecular weight substances like peptides and antibody fragments. Moreover, its established metallic chemistry allows it to be stably bound to the carrier peptide sequence via a suitable bifunctional chelator, such as DOTA. All these reasons together with the technology of PET/CT allowed advances in molecular imaging, in particular in the diagnosis of neuroendocrine diseases. However, the eluate from the commercial 68Ge/68Ga generators still contains high levels of long lived 68Ge, besides other metallic impurities, which competes with 68Ga with a consequent reduction of the labeling yield of biomolecules, such as Fe3+ and Zn2+. Thus, the lower the amount of impurities in the eluate, the competition between the radiolabeled and unlabeled peptide by the receptor will be smaller and the quality of imaging will be better, a subsequent purification step is needed after the generator elution. The aim of this work is to evaluate different purifications methods of 68Ga to label biomolecules, with emphasis on the study of the chemical impurities contained in the eluate and to develop a new purification method. Several purification methods were studied. Many cationic resin were tested simulating the commercial process. 68Ga is adsorbed in cationic resin, which is not commercial available and eluted in acid/acetone solution. The use of minor particles of cationic resin AG50W-X4 (200-400 mesh) showed the best results. An innovate method was the extraction chromatography, wich is based on the absorption of diisopropyl ether in XAD 16 and 68Ga recovery in deionized water. Although the results regarding to 68Ga recovery and the radiochemical separation between 68Ga and 65Zn were excellent, there was no reproducibility on the purification of metals. The most promising and innovative method was the 68Ga purification performed by cationic resin in basic media, which presented the best results, especially regarding the Zn reduction (98 ± 2)%, the chemical contaminant found in great abundance in 68Ga eluate. The total impurities reduction was (95 ± 4)%. The peptides DOTATOC/DOTATATE were labeled 68Ga in three different forms: purified 68Ga in basic solution, through solvent extraction and no purified 68Ga. The best result was achieved with DOTATATE labeling with purified 68Ga in basic media, proving the purification process efficiency.

Há mais de 50 anos os geradores de 68Ge/68Ga vêm sendo desenvolvidos, obtendo o 68Ga sem a necessidade da instalação de um cíclotron próximo à radiofarmácia ou ao centro hospitalar que tenha um PET/CT. O 68Ga é um emissor de pósitron com baixa emissão de fóton (β+, 89%, 1077 keV) e meia vida de 67,7 minutos, compatível com a farmacocinética de moléculas de baixo peso molecular, como peptídeos e fragmentos de anticorpos. Além disso, a química do Ga permite a ligação estável com agentes quelantes acoplados com peptídeos, como o DOTA. Todas estas características do 68Ga aliado a tecnologia PET/CT permitiram avanços em imagem molecular, como no diagnóstico de doenças de origem neuroendócrina. Entretanto, o eluato de 68Ga proveniente dos geradores de 68Ge/68Ga comerciais, ainda contém altos níveis de contaminantes, como o 68Ge e outros metais que competem quimicamente com o 68Ga, como o Fe3+ e Zn2+ e, como consequência, há redução do rendimento de marcação com biomoléculas. Quanto menor a quantidade de impurezas no eluato, a competição entre o peptídeo radiomarcado e peptídeo não marcado será menor e a qualidade de imagem será melhor, por isso existe a necessidade de diminuir a quantidade destes metais. Portanto, os objetivos deste trabalho são avaliar os métodos de purificação do 68Ga para a marcação de biomoléculas, com ênfase no estudo das impurezas químicas presentes nos radioisótopos primários, e desenvolver um método de purificação inédito. Diversos métodos de purificação foram estudados. Na purificação em resina catiônica tradicional e comercial, em que o 68Ga é adsorvido em resina catiônica e eluído em uma solução de acetona/ácido, a resina utilizada não é disponível comercialmente. Várias resinas catiônicas foram testadas simulando o processo comercial, e o uso das menores partículas da resina catiônica AG50W-X4 (200-400 mesh) foi a que apresentou os melhores resultados. Um método inovador foi a cromatografia por extração, onde o éter diisopropílico é adsorvido em resina XAD 16 e o 68Ga eluído em água deionizada. Apesar dos resultados de recuperação do 68Ga e a separação entre o 68Ga e o 65Zn terem sido bons, não houve reprodutibilidade na purificação dos metais. O método mais promissor e inédito foi a purificação do 68Ga em resina catiônica em meio básico que apresentou bons resultados, principalmente em relação à redução do Zn (98 ± 2)%, o contaminante químico encontrado em maior abundância no eluato de 68Ga. A redução total de impurezas foi (95 ± 4)%. Os peptídeos DOTATOC/DOTATATO foram marcados com o 68Ga em três diferentes formas: purificado em meio básico, por extração por solventes e sem a purificação prévia, o melhor resultado de rendimento de marcação do 68Ga DOTATATO foi obtido após a purificação do 68Ga em meio básico, comprovando a eficiência do processo. / For more than fifty years, the long-lived 68Ge/68Ga generators have been in development, obtaining 68Ga without the need of having in house cyclotron, which is a considerable convenience for PET centers that have no nearby cyclotrons. 68Ga decays 89% by positron emission and low photon emission (1077 keV) and the physical half life of 67.7 minutes is compatible with the pharmacokinetics of low biomolecular weight substances like peptides and antibody fragments. Moreover, its established metallic chemistry allows it to be stably bound to the carrier peptide sequence via a suitable bifunctional chelator, such as DOTA. All these reasons together with the technology of PET/CT allowed advances in molecular imaging, in particular in the diagnosis of neuroendocrine diseases. However, the eluate from the commercial 68Ge/68Ga generators still contains high levels of long lived 68Ge, besides other metallic impurities, which competes with 68Ga with a consequent reduction of the labeling yield of biomolecules, such as Fe3+ and Zn2+. Thus, the lower the amount of impurities in the eluate, the competition between the radiolabeled and unlabeled peptide by the receptor will be smaller and the quality of imaging will be better, a subsequent purification step is needed after the generator elution. The aim of this work is to evaluate different purifications methods of 68Ga to label biomolecules, with emphasis on the study of the chemical impurities contained in the eluate and to develop a new purification method. Several purification methods were studied. Many cationic resin were tested simulating the commercial process. 68Ga is adsorbed in cationic resin, which is not commercial available and eluted in acid/acetone solution. The use of minor particles of cationic resin AG50W-X4 (200-400 mesh) showed the best results. An innovate method was the extraction chromatography, wich is based on the absorption of diisopropyl ether in XAD 16 and 68Ga recovery in deionized water. Although the results regarding to 68Ga recovery and the radiochemical separation between 68Ga and 65Zn were excellent, there was no reproducibility on the purification of metals. The most promising and innovative method was the 68Ga purification performed by cationic resin in basic media, which presented the best results, especially regarding the Zn reduction (98 ± 2)%, the chemical contaminant found in great abundance in 68Ga eluate. The total impurities reduction was (95 ± 4)%. The peptides DOTATOC/DOTATATE were labeled 68Ga in three different forms: purified 68Ga in basic solution, through solvent extraction and no purified 68Ga. The best result was achieved with DOTATATE labeling with purified 68Ga in basic media, proving the purification process efficiency.

Des récepteurs de neuropeptides peuvent être fortement exprimés à la surface descellules tumorales offrant ainsi l’opportunité de les visualiser en imagerie par Tomographie d'Emissionde Positons (TEP) grâce à des analogues radiomarqués au 68Ga, 64Cu ou au 18F, mais également desélectionner des patients répondeurs à une radiothérapie métabolique à l'aide de ces mêmes analogues,radiomarqués au 177Lu ou 90Y. Un exemple phare a été le développement d’analogues radiomarqués dela somatostatine pour l'imagerie (68Ga-DOTATOC) et le traitement (177Lu-DOTATATE) des tumeursneuro-endocrines (TNE). Cette voie diagnostique et thérapeutique s’est récemment amplifiée avecl’identification d'autres neuropeptides et leurs récepteurs (sur)exprimés par les cellules tumorales. Cetravail de Thèse s'est donc déroulé selon plusieurs thématiques dont la première a été la mise en placed'une plate-forme de radiomarquage au 68Ga (une des premières en France) pour introduire l'imageriedes récepteurs somatostatine dans les TNE à Bordeaux (essai clinique GALTEP utilisant le 68Ga-DOTATOC) ou d'autres molécules innovantes (68Ga-PSMA dans le cancer de la prostate). Afind’envisager d'autres applications des récepteurs de la somatostatine nous avons recherché leurexpression dans des lymphomes de Hodgkin. Enfin, nous nous sommes concentrés sur ledéveloppement de deux autres familles de neuropeptides; les récepteurs de la bombésine (GRP-R etNMB-R) et de la neurotensine (NTR1). Nous avons finement caractérisé l'expression du GRP-R dansle cancer du sein et développé une nouvelle classe de radiopeptides pour le ciblage des récepteurs de labombésine. Enfin, nous avons étudié NTR1 dans diverses tumeurs pour fournir le rationnel nécessaireau développement d'analogues de la neurotensine. / Neuropeptide receptors can be highly expressed on the cell surface of tumor cells,paving the way to their visualization with Positron Emission Tomography (PET) using analoguesradiolabeled with 68Ga, 64Cu or 18F, but also to select patients who can benefit fromradiopharmaceutical therapy using similar analogues radiolabeled with 177Lu or 90Y. An example hasbeen the development of somatostatin radio-analogues for imaging (68Ga-DOTATOC) and therapy(177Lu-DOTATATE) of neuroendocrine tumors (NET). This concept has gained insight since thediscovery of other neuropeptides and their receptors (over)expressed on diverse tumors. This PhD hasbeen conducted according to several axis, the first being the establishment of a 68Ga-radiolabelingplatform (among the first in France) to introduce somatostatin receptor PET imaging of NET inBordeaux (clinical trial GALTEP using 68Ga-DOTATOC) but also other innovative molecules (68Ga-PSMA for prostate cancer imaging). Furthermore, to consider other applications of somatostatinreceptors we investigated their expression in Hodgkin's lymphomas. We then mainly aimed atinvestigating possibilities offered by two other families of neuropeptide receptors: bombesin receptors(GRP-R and NMB-R) and neurotensin receptors (NTR1). For the bombesin family, we have wellcharacterized GRP-R expression in breast cancer and developed a novel class of radiopeptide forbombesin receptors targeting. Finally, we studied NTR1 expression in various tumors (notably prostatecancer) to provide molecular basis necessary for the development of neurotensin analogues.

Bakgrund: Ett meningiom är en godartad tumör och utgör 15-20 % av alla primära hjärntumörer. Datortomografi (DT) och magnetresonanstomografi (MR) är de vanligaste undersökningsmetoderna när det gäller att diagnosticera meningiom. Positronemissionstomografi (PET) används för både diagnosticering och stadieindelning av cancer. De allra flesta meningiom har somatostatinreceptorer (SR) som visat sig ta upp [68Gallium]-DOTA-D Phe1-Tyr3-Octreotide (68Ga-DOTATOC) vid PET-bildtagning vilket skapat en möjlighet att bedöma meningiom med hjälp av PET-bildtagning. En bra bedömning av meningiomet är av stor vikt för att kunna planera patientens behandling.   Syfte: Att ta reda på hur användbart MR och 68Ga-DOTATOC är för att upptäcka samt avgöra volym på meningiom.   Metod: En litteraturstudie genomfördes med hjälp av databasen PubMed. Nio vetenskapliga artiklar inkluderades i litteraturstudien.   Resultat: I resultatet framkom det att perimetermetoden är bättre än diametermetoden för att mäta volym med hjälp av MR-bildtagning. Bildtagning med 68Ga-DOTATOC PET/DT ger en kompletterande bild av meningiomets volym som ofta är mindre än volym uppmätt med MR-bildtagning. 68Ga-DOTATOC PET/DT upptäcker fler meningiom, särskilt i komplexa fall där meningiomet infiltrerat skelettet. MR-bildtagning kunde även skilja på olika typer av meningiom (benigna och maligna). Slutsats: Det är möjligt att upptäcka samt beräkna volym på meningiom med MR-bildtagning och 68Ga-DOTATOC PET/DT. Med MR-bildtagning finns även möjligheten att klassificera meningiomets stadie. Enligt denna studies resultat kompletterar 68Ga-DOTATOC starkt information från både MR och DT-bildtagning.

Diabetes epidemic is underway. Beta cell dysfunction (BCF) and loss of beta cell mass (BCM) are known to be key events in its progression. Currently, there are no reliable techniques to estimate or follow the loss of BCM, in vivo. Non-invasive imaging and quantification of the whole BCM in the pancreas, therefore, has a great potential for understanding the progression of diabetes and the scope for early diagnosis for Type 2 diabetes. Glucagon-like peptide-1 receptor (GLP-1R) is known to be selectively expressed on the pancreatic beta cells and overexpressed on the insulinoma, a pancreatic neuroendocrine tumor (PNET). Therefore, this receptor is considered to be a selective imaging biomarker for the beta cells and the insulinoma. Exendin-4 is a naturally occurring analog of GLP-1 peptide. It binds and activates GLP-1R with same the potency and engages in the insulin synthesis, with a longer biological half-life. In this thesis, Exendin-4 precursor, DO3A-VS-Cys40-Exendin-4 labeled with [68Ga], [68Ga]Ga-DO3A-VS-Cys40-Exendin-4 ([68Ga]Exendin-4), was evaluated in different species models, namely, immune deficient nude mice, rats, pigs, non-human primate (NHP), and clinically in one insulinoma patient by positron emission tomography (PET), for its potential in beta cell imaging and its quantification as well as for visualizing the insulinoma. From internal dosimetry, the possible number of repetitive [68Ga]Exendin-4-PET/CT scans was estimated. Pancreatic uptake and insulinoma tumor uptake of [68Ga]Exendin-4 were confirmed to be mediated by the specific binding to the GLP-1R. Pancreatic GLP-1R could be visualized and semi-quantified, for diabetic studies, except in rats. Nonetheless, we found conflicting results regarding the GLP-1R being a selective imaging biomarker for the beta cells. PET/CT scan of the patient with [68Ga]Exendin-4 has proven to be more sensitive than the clinical neuroendocrine tracer, [11C]5-HTP, as  it could reveal small metastatic tumors in liver. The kidney was the dose-limiting organ in the entire species model, from absorbed dose estimation. Before reaching a yearly kidney limiting dose of 150 mGy and a whole body effective dose of 10 mSv, 2–4 [68Ga]Exendin-4 PET/CT scans be performed in an adult human, which enables longitudinal clinical PET imaging studies of the GLP-1R in the pancreas, transplanted islets, or insulinoma, as well as in healthy volunteers enrolled in the early phase of anti-diabetic drug development studies.

O presente trabalho tem como objetivo a padronização de 68Ga, um emissor de pósitrons de meia-vida curta, usado em PET (Tomografia por Emissão de Pósitrons). A padronização do 68Ga foi realizada em um sistema de coincidência 4πβ-γ, que consiste de um detector proporcional em geometria 4π a gás fluente acoplado a um detector de cristal semicondutor HPGe, para a detecção de raios gama. A aquisição de dados foi realizada por meio de um Sistema de Coincidência por Software (SCS), desenvolvido no Laboratório de Metrologia Nuclear (Laboratório de Metrologia Nuclear - LMN) no IPEN-CNEN / SP. Os resultados finais foram obtidos a partir de um ajuste de curva multiparamétrica aplicando-se uma metodologia que leva em consideração a matriz de covariância combinando os resultados experimentais com aqueles determinados pela simulação Monte Carlo. / The present work aims the standardization of 68Ga, a positron emitter of short half-life used in PET (Positron Emission Tomography). The 68Ga standardization was performed in a 4πβ-γ coincidence system that consists of a gas-flow proportional counter (PC) in 4π geometry coupled to a HPGe crystal, for gamma-ray detection. The data acquisition was carried out by means of a Software Coincidence System (SCS) developed at the Nuclear Metrology Laboratory (Laboratório de Metrologia Nuclear LMN) at the IPEN-CNEN/SP. The final results were obtained from a multiple curve fitting applying a covariance matrix methodology combining experimental results with those determined by the Monte Carlo simulation.

O presente trabalho tem como objetivo a padronização de 68Ga, um emissor de pósitrons de meia-vida curta, usado em PET (Tomografia por Emissão de Pósitrons). A padronização do 68Ga foi realizada em um sistema de coincidência 4πβ-γ, que consiste de um detector proporcional em geometria 4π a gás fluente acoplado a um detector de cristal semicondutor HPGe, para a detecção de raios gama. A aquisição de dados foi realizada por meio de um Sistema de Coincidência por Software (SCS), desenvolvido no Laboratório de Metrologia Nuclear (Laboratório de Metrologia Nuclear - LMN) no IPEN-CNEN / SP. Os resultados finais foram obtidos a partir de um ajuste de curva multiparamétrica aplicando-se uma metodologia que leva em consideração a matriz de covariância combinando os resultados experimentais com aqueles determinados pela simulação Monte Carlo. / The present work aims the standardization of 68Ga, a positron emitter of short half-life used in PET (Positron Emission Tomography). The 68Ga standardization was performed in a 4πβ-γ coincidence system that consists of a gas-flow proportional counter (PC) in 4π geometry coupled to a HPGe crystal, for gamma-ray detection. The data acquisition was carried out by means of a Software Coincidence System (SCS) developed at the Nuclear Metrology Laboratory (Laboratório de Metrologia Nuclear LMN) at the IPEN-CNEN/SP. The final results were obtained from a multiple curve fitting applying a covariance matrix methodology combining experimental results with those determined by the Monte Carlo simulation.

<p>The positron emitting radionuclide ⁶⁸Ga (T_1/2 = 68 min) might become of practical interest for clinical positron emission tomography (PET). The metallic cation, ⁶⁸Ga(III), is suitable for complexation with chelators, either naked or conjugated with biological macromolecules. Such labelling procedures require pure and concentrated preparations of ⁶⁸Ga(III), which cannot be sufficiently fulfilled by the presently available ⁶⁸Ge/⁶⁸Ga generator eluate. This thesis presents methods to increase the concentration and purity of ⁶⁸Ga obtained from a commercial ⁶⁸Ge/⁶⁸Ga generator. The use of the preconcentrated and purified ⁶⁸Ga eluate along with microwave heating allowed quantitative ⁶⁸Ga-labelling of peptide conjugates within 15 min. The specific radioactivity of the radiolabelled peptides was improved considerably compared to previously applied techniques using non-treated generator eluate and conventional heating. A commercial ⁶⁸Ge/⁶⁸Ga generator in combination with the method for preconcentration/purification and microwave heated labelling might result in an automated device for ⁶⁸Ga-based radiopharmaceutical kit production with quantitative incorporation of ⁶⁸Ga(III).</p><p>Macromolecules were labelled with ⁶⁸Ga(III) either directly or via a chelator. The bifunctional chelator, DOTA, was conjugated in solution to peptides, an antibody and oligonucleotides. The peptides had varied pI values, constitution, and length ranging from 8 to 53 amino acid residues. The oligonucleotides were of various sequences and length with modifications in backbone, sugar moiety and both 3' and 5' ends with a molecular weight up to 9.8 kDa. The bioconjugates were labeled with ⁶⁸Ga(III), and the resulting tracers were characterised chemically and biologically. The identity of the ⁶⁸Ga-labelled bioconjugates was verified. The tracers were found to be stable and their biological activity maintained. Specific radioactivity was shown to be an important parameter influencing the feasibility of accurate imaging data quantification.</p><p>Furthermore, ⁶⁸Ga-labelled peptide imaging was shown to be a useful tool to study peptide adsorption to microstructures in a chemical analysis device.</p>

The positron emitting radionuclide 68Ga (T1/2 = 68 min) might become of practical interest for clinical positron emission tomography (PET). The metallic cation, 68Ga(III), is suitable for complexation with chelators, either naked or conjugated with biological macromolecules. Such labelling procedures require pure and concentrated preparations of 68Ga(III), which cannot be sufficiently fulfilled by the presently available 68Ge/68Ga generator eluate. This thesis presents methods to increase the concentration and purity of 68Ga obtained from a commercial 68Ge/68Ga generator. The use of the preconcentrated and purified 68Ga eluate along with microwave heating allowed quantitative 68Ga-labelling of peptide conjugates within 15 min. The specific radioactivity of the radiolabelled peptides was improved considerably compared to previously applied techniques using non-treated generator eluate and conventional heating. A commercial 68Ge/68Ga generator in combination with the method for preconcentration/purification and microwave heated labelling might result in an automated device for 68Ga-based radiopharmaceutical kit production with quantitative incorporation of 68Ga(III). Macromolecules were labelled with 68Ga(III) either directly or via a chelator. The bifunctional chelator, DOTA, was conjugated in solution to peptides, an antibody and oligonucleotides. The peptides had varied pI values, constitution, and length ranging from 8 to 53 amino acid residues. The oligonucleotides were of various sequences and length with modifications in backbone, sugar moiety and both 3' and 5' ends with a molecular weight up to 9.8 kDa. The bioconjugates were labeled with 68Ga(III), and the resulting tracers were characterised chemically and biologically. The identity of the 68Ga-labelled bioconjugates was verified. The tracers were found to be stable and their biological activity maintained. Specific radioactivity was shown to be an important parameter influencing the feasibility of accurate imaging data quantification. Furthermore, 68Ga-labelled peptide imaging was shown to be a useful tool to study peptide adsorption to microstructures in a chemical analysis device.