title: Alternative positron emission tomography with non-conventional positron emitters: effects of their physical properties on image quality and potential clinical applications.
abstract: The increasing amount of clinically relevant information obtained by positron emission tomography (PET), primarily with fluorine-18 labelled 2-deoxy-2-fluoro-D-glucose, has generated a demand for new routes for the widespread and cost-efficient use of positron-emitting radiopharmaceuticals. New dual-head single-photon emission tomography (SPET) cameras are being developed which offer coincidence detection with camera heads lacking a collimator or SPET imaging with specially designed collimators and additional photon shielding. Thus, not only satellite PET imaging units but also nuclear medicine units investing in these new SPET/PET systems need to examine all available alternatives for rational radionuclide supplies from host cyclotrons. This article examines 25 "alternative" positron-emitting radionuclides, discusses the impact of their decay properties on image quality and reviews methods for their production as well as for their application in imaging techniques.
authors.affiliation: Institute of Experimental Medicine, CNR, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pagani
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Stone-Elander
authors.forename: S A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Larsson
mesh_terms: D006801:Humans; D011868:Radioisotopes; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D014055:Tomography, Emission-Computed; D015899:Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon / Q000295:instrumentation
chemical_list: D011868:Radioisotopes; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals