11C-labelled glycine: synthesis and preliminary report on its use in the investigation of intracranial tumours using positron emission tomography.

Carbon-11-labelled glycine has been prepared by a Bücherer-Strecker synthesis using [11C]cyanide, formaldehyde and ammonium carbonate. Total synthesis time, including chromatographic purification, was 30-35 min from end-of-bombardment. Radiochemical yield was 35%, based on [11C]cyanide and radiochemical purity was shown to be greater than 98% by analytical HPLC. The 11C-labelled glycine thus prepared was used along with [68Ga]EDTA and L-[methyl-11C]methionine in the visualization of an anaplastic astrocytoma by positron emission tomography.