[Synthesis and preliminary studies of O-(2-[18F] fluoroethyl)-L-tyrosine as a positron emission tomography imaging agent].
OBJECTIVE
To develop a 18F-labeled amino acid, O-(2-[18F]fluoroethyl) - L-tyrosine(18F-FET), as a positron emission tomography (PET) tracer for imaging cerebral tumors.


METHODS
18F-FET was synthesized. Preclinical studies including sterility, endotoxin, and toxicity tests were performed. Two brain tumor cases were studied using 18F-FET and compared with 18F-FDG.


RESULTS
Radiochemical purity of 18F-FET was over 95% which remained stable for 6 hours. The 18F-FET injection was sterile and its endotoxin content accorded with the standards of Chinese Pharmacopoeia. The uptake of 18F-FET in the normal brain tissues was significantly lower than that of the tumor, and the images of the brain tumor were clearer than those of 18F-FDG.


CONCLUSIONS
18F-FET can accumulate in the tumor tissues to give high quality images. It suggests that 18F-FET may be a safe and effective tracer for brain tumor imaging.
Dang
Yong-hong
YH
Positron Emission Tomography Center, PUMC Hospital, CAMS, PUMC, Beijing 100730, China. dangyh@sina.com
Wang
Shi-zhen
SZ
Cheng
Xin
X
Zhou
Qian
Q
D000328:Adult; D000818:Animals; D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D005260:Female; D005462:Fluorine Radioisotopes; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18; D005909:Glioblastoma / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D051379:Mice; D008875:Middle Aged; D012510:Sarcoma 180 / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D014055:Tomography, Emission-Computed; D014443:Tyrosine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000138:chemical synthesis
D005462:Fluorine Radioisotopes; C117289:O-(2-fluoroethyl)tyrosine; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18; D014443:Tyrosine