@article {Eldjarn312, author = {Charlotte Eldjarn and Merethe Wigen Andersen and Randi Moen Forfang and Signe E. Hagve and Kjell Rootwelt}, title = {Experiences with Citrate Rather Than Heparin as an Anticoagulant for 18F-FDG Labeling of Leukocytes}, volume = {39}, number = {4}, pages = {312--316}, year = {2011}, doi = {10.2967/jnmt.110.085464}, publisher = {Society of Nuclear Medicine}, abstract = {In all reported clinical studies with 18F-FDG{\textendash}labeled leukocytes, heparin was used as an anticoagulant during labeling. Theoretically, the substitution of heparin with citrate should be advantageous. Methods: Blood from healthy controls was sampled in duplicate, anticoagulated with citrate or heparin, and labeled with 18F-FDG, and the labeling yield was measured. Viability was checked with the trypan blue exclusion technique. Moreover, 4 in vivo PET/CT studies were performed after the reinjection of leukocytes labeled after citrate anticoagulation. Results: The labeling yields obtained with citrate and heparin were not significantly different (P = 0.447). Viability was greater than or equal to 99\%. The quality of the PET/CT studies was excellent. In the in vivo studies, the mean labeling yield was 78\%{\textemdash}better than or equal to that reported with heparin as an anticoagulant. Conclusion: Citrate is at least as effective as heparin as an anticoagulant, does not (unlike heparin) increase granulocyte activation, and should be the preferred anticoagulant for 18F-FDG labeling of leukocytes.}, issn = {0091-4916}, URL = {https://tech.snmjournals.org/content/39/4/312}, eprint = {https://tech.snmjournals.org/content/39/4/312.full.pdf}, journal = {Journal of Nuclear Medicine Technology} }