title: Cancer imaging with fluorine-18-labeled choline derivatives.
abstract: The choline transporter and choline kinase enzyme frequently are overexpressed in malignancy. Therefore, positron-emitter-labeled compounds derived from choline have the potential to serve as oncologic probes for positron emission tomography. The fluorine-18 ((18)F)-labeled choline derivative fluorocholine (FCH) in particular has demonstrated potential utility for imaging of a variety of neoplasms, including those of the breast, prostate, liver, and brain. The pharmacokinetics of FCH and other choline tracers allow for whole-body imaging within minutes of injection while still achieving high tumor-to-background contrast in most organs, including the brain. These features, along with the possibility of imaging malignancies that have proved elusive with the use of (18)F-fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography support further clinical investigations of (18)F-labeled choline tracers.
authors.affiliation: University of Hawaii John A. Burns School of Medicine, Honolulu, HI 96813, USA. skwee@queens.org
authors.forename: Sandi A
authors.initials: SA
authors.lastname: Kwee
authors.forename: Timothy R
authors.initials: TR
authors.lastname: DeGrado
authors.forename: Jean Noel
authors.initials: JN
authors.lastname: Talbot
authors.forename: Fabrice
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Gutman
authors.forename: Marc N
authors.initials: MN
authors.lastname: Coel
mesh_terms: D001932:Brain Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000378:metabolism; D006528:Carcinoma, Hepatocellular / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000378:metabolism; D002794:Choline / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D004938:Esophageal Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000378:metabolism; D005260:Female; D005462:Fluorine Radioisotopes; D006801:Humans; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000378:metabolism; D008297:Male; D009303:Nasopharyngeal Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000378:metabolism; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000378:metabolism; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography; D011471:Prostatic Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000378:metabolism; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals / Q000493:pharmacokinetics
chemical_list: D005462:Fluorine Radioisotopes; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; C514960:fluorocholine; D002794:Choline