The Hadassah Cyclotron Unit is a radiopharmaceutical center which functions within the Hadassah R&D Division in collaboration with the Department of Nuclear Medicine. Medical imaging has emerged as a potent method for diagnosing disease states and for monitoring treatments. Thus, the main objective of the Cyclotron Unit is to synthesize and produce new radio-labeled molecules for the diagnosis and evaluation of various disease states using PET imaging at Hadassah and other major PET centers around Israel. In addition, the Hadassah Cyclotron Unit is responsible for routinely producing known PET imaging tracer molecules such as 18F-Fluorodeoxyglucose (18F-FDG),11C-Choline and 11C- Raclopride on a daily basis due to their short half-lives.

The aim of our research activities is to non-invasively study human biology mainly in the field of oncology and neurology, using PET molecular imaging, and to promote the development and utilization of novel cyclotron-produced labeled biomarkers by:

1) Conducting basic research allowing for:

a. the development of novel labeling agents

b. development of new labeling methods

c.  design, synthesis, labeling and biological evaluation of novel PET biomarkers with high “chemical resolution” to allow targeted molecular imaging;

2) The use of FDG and non-conventional labeled biomarkers other than FDG  such as [C-11] Choline, [F-18]FDOPA, [C-11]deprenyl etc., has been applied in order to advance the PET methodology and study physiological, biochemical and pharmacological functions at the molecular level, whether in animals, healthy subjects or in patients.