Synthesis and purification of sodium [11C]benzoate for physiological and metabolic studies: evaluation in a tumor-bearing dog

Abstract Sodium benzoate labeled with the cyclotron produced, positron emitting radioisotope 11 C ( t 1 2 = 20.4 min ) has been investigated as a potential agent for renal and tumor visualization using γ-scintigraphy. Sodium [ 11 ]benzoate was prepared by the Grignard reaction of phenylmagnesium bromide and 11 C-CO 2 with no carrier added. A dog bearing an osteogenic sarcoma in the head of the left femur was studied using the High Energy Gamma (HEG) rectilinear scanner at the Sloan-Kettering Institute following i.v. administration of no-carrier-added sodium [ 11 C]benzoate. The high-contrast image of the kidneys in this dog demonstrates the potential usefulness of [ 11 C]benzoate as a renal scanning agent. Visualization of a canine osteogenic sarcoma, in addition to a human brain tumor reported in a previous study, suggests that [ 11 C]benzoate should be further evaluated as a tumor imaging agent.