title: Synthesis of 11C, 18F, 15O, and 13N radiolabels for positron emission tomography.
abstract: Positron emission tomography (PET) is a powerful and rapidly developing area of molecular imaging that is used to study and visualize human physiology by the detection of positron-emitting radiopharmaceuticals. Information about metabolism, receptor/enzyme function, and biochemical mechanisms in living tissue can be obtained directly from PET experiments. Unlike magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) or computerized tomography (CT), which mainly provide detailed anatomical images, PET can measure chemical changes that occur before macroscopic anatomical signs of a disease are observed. PET is emerging as a revolutionary method for measuring body function and tailoring disease treatment in living subjects. The development of synthetic strategies for the synthesis of new positron-emitting molecules is, however, not trivial. This Review highlights key aspects of the synthesis of PET radiotracers with the short-lived positron-emitting radionuclides (11)C, (18)F, (15)O, and (13)N, with emphasis on the most recent strategies.
authors.affiliation: Department of Chemistry, Imperial College London, South Kensington, London, SW7 2AZ, UK. philip.miller@imperial.ac.uk
authors.forename: Philip W
authors.initials: PW
authors.lastname: Miller
authors.forename: Nicholas J
authors.initials: NJ
authors.lastname: Long
authors.forename: Ramon
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Vilar
authors.forename: Antony D
authors.initials: AD
authors.lastname: Gee
mesh_terms: D002250:Carbon Radioisotopes / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D005462:Fluorine Radioisotopes / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D006801:Humans; D007553:Isotope Labeling; D009590:Nitrogen Radioisotopes / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D010104:Oxygen Radioisotopes / Q000737:chemistry / Q000378:metabolism; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods / Q000706:statistics & numerical data; D011868:Radioisotopes / Q000737:chemistry* / Q000378:metabolism
chemical_list: D002250:Carbon Radioisotopes; D005462:Fluorine Radioisotopes; D009590:Nitrogen Radioisotopes; D010104:Oxygen Radioisotopes; D011868:Radioisotopes