The automated synthesis of clinically relevant amounts of 16-.sup.18F-fluoro-5-dihydrotestosterone (.sup.18F-FDHT) using a commercially available radiosynthesizer. Synthesis was performed in 90 minutes with a decay-corrected radiochemical yield of 295%. The specific activity was 4.6 Ci/mol (170 GBq/mol) at end of formulation with a starting activity of 1.0 Ci (37 GBq). The formulated .sup.18F-FDHT yielded sufficient activity for multiple patient doses and passed all quality control tests required for routine clinical use.

The automated synthesis of clinically relevant amounts of 16-.sup.18F-fluoro-5-dihydrotestosterone (.sup.18F-FDHT) using a commercially available radiosynthesizer. Synthesis was performed in 90 minutes with a decay-corrected radiochemical yield of 295%. The specific activity was 4.6 Ci/mol (170 GBq/mol) at end of formulation with a starting activity of 1.0 Ci (37 GBq). The formulated .sup.18F-FDHT yielded sufficient activity for multiple patient doses and passed all quality control tests required for routine clinical use.

A general-purpose software-reconfigurable chemical process system useful in a wide range of applications is disclosed. Embodiments may include software control of internal processes, automated provisions for cleaning internal elements with solvents, provisions for clearing and drying gasses, and multitasking operation. In one family of embodiments, a flexible software-reconfigurable multipurpose reusable Lab-on-a-Chip or embedded chemical processor is realized that can facilitate a wide range of applications, instruments, and appliances. Through use of a general architecture, a single design can be economically manufactured in large scale and readily adapted to diverse specialized applications. Clearing and cleaning provisions may be used to facilitate reuse of the device, or may be used for decontamination prior to recycling or non-reclaimed disposal. In other embodiments, a flexible software-reconfigurable multipurpose reusable laboratory glassware setup may be realized, sparing talented laboratory staff from repetitive, complex, or low-level tasks occurring in analysis, synthesis, or small-scale chemical manufacturing.

Systems and methods for software-reconfigurable chemical process systems useful in a wide range of applications. Embodiments may include software control of internal processes, automated provisions for cleaning internal elements with solvents, provisions for clearing and drying gasses, and multitasking operation. In one family of embodiments, a flexible software-reconfigurable multipurpose reusable Lab-on-a-Chip or embedded chemical processor is realized that can facilitate a wide range of applications, instruments, and appliances. Through use of a general architecture, a single design can be economically manufactured in large scale and readily adapted to diverse specialized applications. Clearing and cleaning provisions may be used to facilitate reuse of the device, or may be used for decontamination prior to recycling or non-reclaimed disposal. In other embodiments, a flexible software-reconfigurable multipurpose reusable laboratory glassware setup may be realized, sparing talented laboratory staff from repetitive, complex, or low-level tasks occurring in analysis, synthesis, or smallscale chemical manufacturing.

A continuous flow reactor for the efficient synthesis of nanoparticles with a high degree of crystallinity, uniform particle size, and homogenous stoichiometry throughout the crystal is described. Disclosed embodiments include a flow reactor with an energy source for rapid nucleation of the procurors following by a separate heating source for growing the nucleates. Segmented flow may be provided to facilitate mixing and uniform energy absorption of the precursors, and post production quality testing in communication with a control system allow automatic real-time adjustment of the production parameters. The nucleation energy source can be monomodal, multimodal, or multivariable frequency microwave energy and tuned to allow different precursors to nucleate at substantially the same time thereby resulting in a substantially homogenous nanoparticle. A shell application system may also be provided to allow one or more shell layers to be formed onto each nanoparticle.

Various examples are provided related to nanoparticle synthesis. In one example, a system includes a self-driven fluidics platform including a chemical handling module and a reactor module. A mixer can form an initial mixture and deliver it through the ejector port as part of a segmented flow. The reactor module can control environmental conditions during synthesis of a nanoparticle. A flow reactor includes a channel that allows the segmented flow to move through the flow reactor via the channel and at least one observation window to enable real-time characterization of nanoparticles in individual droplets in the segmented flow through the flow reactor. In another example, a method comprises forming and flowing a segmented flow of droplets into a reactor, measuring a target property of nanoparticles in droplets in the segmented flow, and adjusting formation of droplets added to the segmented flow based upon the measured target property.