Flutemetamol (18F): a β-amyloid positron emission tomography tracer for Alzheimer's and dementia diagnosis.
Alzheimer's disease (AD) is a progressive, neurodegenerative disease likely to dramatically increase in prevalence in the next few decades. Currently, the only method for definitive diagnosis is to determine the presence of β-amyloid in the brain of AD patients at autopsy. Flutemetamol (18F) (Vizamyl™) is a novel (18)F-labeled radiotracer for positron emission tomography (PET). Flutemetamol (18F) displays similar metabolism and dosimetry to the established amyloid PET imaging tracer (11)C-labeled Pittsburgh Compound B and other (18)F-labeled radiopharmaceuticals, and is rapidly taken up into the brain and binds to β-amyloid deposits. Scans can be reliably quantified by the use of relative standard uptake value ratios, using the cerebellar cortex as a reference region. High sensitivity and specificity were demonstrated in phase III trials in discriminating between patients with AD and healthy controls and across a spectrum of AD, leading to the agent's approval to assist in the assessment of amyloid plaque pathology in AD patients.
Jane de Lartigue Scientific Communications, Camberley, UK. jdelartigue@gmail.com.
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D000544:Alzheimer Disease / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D000814:Aniline Compounds / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D000818:Animals; D052160:Benzothiazoles / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D001921:Brain / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D017326:Clinical Trials, Phase III as Topic; D003704:Dementia / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D017277:Drug Approval; D006801:Humans; D058225:Plaque, Amyloid / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography / Q000379:methods*; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals / Q000009:adverse effects / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity
D000814:Aniline Compounds; D052160:Benzothiazoles; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; C581552:flutemetamol
Alzheimer's disease; Diagnostic; Flutemetamol (18F); Positron emission tomography; Radiopharmaceuticals