Enhancing FDG Production Efficiency on Explora FDG4 Synthesis Module: A Journey of Innovation and Excellence at Neurospinal & Cancer Care Post Graduate Institute

Background: Fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) synthesis always faces issues because of its non-uniform yield. It is one of the essential radiotracers used in the area of nuclear medicine and the imaging process of Positron Emission Tomography (PET). FDG production using the Siemens Explora FDG4 Synthesis Module at Neurospinal & Cancer Care Institute (NCCI) shows inconsistency. The research project enhanced manufacturing output stability, combined with equipment checks and maintenance procedures, and reduced external support. Methods: A structured, retrospective, comparative analysis was conducted at NCCI’s Hot Lab that include Multi-Valve Processor (MVP) valve checks, bi-monthly Liquid Electrical Extraction (LEE) pump cleaning, vacuum and pressure monitoring, weekly reagent volume checks, and reaction vessel dip tube assessments. In this research data from all production batches from between January 2023 to December 2024 were analyzed. Results: The changed interventions applied in the methodology result in significant improvement in FDG production. The successful production yield increased from 50% in 2023 to 84% in 2024, resulting in high consistency and efficiency of the system. Additionally, the number of low-yield batches dropped from 11% to just 5%. It indicates that more stable and efficient production can be achieved through regular maintenance, process monitoring, and process improvement. Conclusion: FDG production can be boosted by regular maintenance, process monitoring, and process improvements on internal processes, as shown in this study. By implementing these changes at NCCI experienced better yields and less variation in production, which proves how important skilled in-house staff can be in taking control of the process. This approach can be used on other production systems to make them more efficient, reduce external support dependence, and economical.