New Directions in Positron Emission Tomography

Joanna S. Fowler, Alfred P. Wolf

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

18 Scopus citations

Abstract

This chapter describes the design and synthesis of radiotracers labeled with the short lived cyclotron produced nuclides and the application of positron emission tomography (PET) to the study of brain, heart, and tumor metabolism. In terms of information content, the PET scan is quite different from X-ray CT (Computed Tomography), NMRI (Nuclear Magnetic Resonance Imaging), or SPECT (Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography). With PET, various radiotracers are used to visualize and quantitate different biochemical processes. In a PET study, a radiotracer labeled with a short-lived positron emitting isotope is administered either by intravenous injection or inhalation. The four major positron emitters used to label organic molecules are Carbon-11, Fluorine-18, Nitrogen-13, and Oxygen-15. At least two measurements are usually made in a PET study: the concentration of labeled compound in a volume element of tissue and the arterial input function. The current growth of the PET field and its widespread application problems in biology and medicine was stimulated by the development of a method for measuring the regional brain glucose metabolism. The observation of disease-associated abnormalities in neurotransmitter properties in postmortem human brain tissue has provided an impetus for the development of radiotracers for in vivo studies. A number of positron emitter labeled amino acids has been investigated as tracers for the quantitative measurement of the regional incorporation of amino acids into protein. Radiotracers have been developed to probe the biochemical abnormalities that underlie heart disease and to assess the viability of myocardial tissue so that appropriate treatments can be chosen. Myocardial blood flow, myocardial substrate metabolism, neuronal viability, and receptor status have all been biochemical targets for radiotracer development. The application of radiotracers in oncology has also developed in the detection of malignant tissue, in the characterization of tumor tissue etc.

Original languageEnglish
Pages (from-to)277-286
Number of pages10
JournalAnnual Reports in Medicinal Chemistry
Volume24
Issue numberC
DOIs
StatePublished - 1 Jan 1989
Externally publishedYes

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