Chemistry of PET radiopharmaceuticals: Labelling strategies

Abstract

Positron emission tomography (PET) is an imaging technology developed to use compounds labelled with positron-emitting radioisotopes as molecular probes to image and measure biochemical processes of mammalian biology in vivo. Since this area is rapidly developing, the demand for rapid synthetic methods for radiolabelling the molecule of interest is one of the main challenges for the radiochemists. This chapter will provide information about the most common radiolabelling strategies as well as the more recent developments in the synthesis of PET radiopharmaceuticals labelled with fluorine-18, carbon-11, nitrogen-13 and oxygen-15. Since gallium-68 has gained enormous importance in radiopharmacy in the last 10 years, a chapter will highlight the important role of radiolabelling with gallium-68 in clinical radiopharmacy.