18F-FLT
18F-FLT
18F-FLT (FluoroL-thymidine) is a radiopharmaceutical used in Positron Emission Tomography (PET) imaging. Pronounced as "eighteen F FLT", the etymology of the term comes from the combination of the radioactive isotope Fluorine-18 (18F) and the nucleoside analogue FLT (Fluoro-L-thymidine).
Usage
18F-FLT is primarily used in oncology to assess cellular proliferation in tumors. It is a marker of thymidine kinase-1 activity, an enzyme upregulated in rapidly dividing cells. This makes it a valuable tool in the evaluation of tumor aggressiveness, response to therapy, and disease progression.
Synthesis
The synthesis of 18F-FLT involves the nucleophilic substitution of a tosylate precursor with Fluorine-18. The reaction is followed by deprotection of the acetyl groups to yield the final product.
Advantages and Limitations
Compared to the more commonly used 18F-FDG, 18F-FLT has the advantage of lower uptake in inflammatory cells, which can lead to fewer false positives. However, its uptake in normal tissues is higher, which can lead to lower tumor-to-background contrast.
See Also
External links
- Medical encyclopedia article on 18F-FLT
- Wikipedia's article - 18F-FLT
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