• The most widely used PET radiopharmaceutical is 18F-FDG. Similar in structure to glucose, this compound is used in PET due to the ubiquitous use of glucose by the human body.
  • FDG is labeled with 18F, a cyclotron produced radioisotope with a half life of approximately 110 minutes.
    • Preparation of 18F-FDG

  • 18F-FDG: Mechanism of Uptake

    • Called metabolic trapping
    • Tumors have higher metabolic rate than normal tissue.
    • Structures of FDG and glucose are similar enough for there to be uptake, but different enough that metabolism can not take place