title: 68Ga-PET: a powerful generator-based alternative to cyclotron-based PET radiopharmaceuticals.
abstract: PET (positron emission tomography) is a powerful diagnostic and imaging technique which requires short-lived positron emitting isotopes. The most commonly used are accelerator-produced (11)C and (18)F. An alternative is the use of metallic positron emitters. Among them (68)Ga deserves special attention because of its availability from long-lived (68)Ge/(68)Ga generator systems which render (68)Ga radiopharmacy independent of an onsite cyclotron. The coordination chemistry of Ga(3+) is dominated by its hard acid character. A variety of mono- and bifunctional chelators have been developed which allow the formation of stable (68)Ga(3+)complexes and convenient coupling to biomolecules. (68)Ga coupling to small biomolecules is potentially an alternative to (18)F- and (11)C-based radiopharmacy. In particular, peptides targeting G-protein coupled receptors overexpressed on human tumour cells have shown preclinically and clinically high and specific tumour uptake. Kit-formulated precursors along with the generator may be provided, similar to the (99)Mo/(99m)Tc-based radiopharmacy, still the mainstay of nuclear medicine.
authors.affiliation: Division of Radiological Chemistry, University Hospital Basel, Petersgraben 4, CH-4031 Basel, Switzerland.
authors.forename: Melpomeni
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fani
authors.forename: João P
authors.initials: JP
authors.lastname: André
authors.forename: Helmut R
authors.initials: HR
authors.lastname: Maecke
mesh_terms: D002986:Clinical Trials as Topic / Q000639:trends; D017357:Cyclotrons; D005544:Forecasting; D005710:Gallium Radioisotopes / Q000737:chemistry*; D007089:Image Enhancement / Q000379:methods*; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography / Q000379:methods* / Q000639:trends*; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals / Q000737:chemistry*
chemical_list: D005710:Gallium Radioisotopes; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals