Radiofluorination

Radiofluorination (pronunciation: /ˌreɪdioʊˌflʊərɪˈneɪʃən/) is a process in nuclear medicine and radiochemistry that involves the introduction of a fluorine-18 isotope into organic molecules. This process is crucial in the production of radiopharmaceuticals for Positron Emission Tomography (PET) imaging.

Etymology

The term "Radiofluorination" is derived from the words "radio" referring to radioactivity, and "fluorination" which is the process of adding a fluorine atom to a compound.

Process

Radiofluorination is typically carried out in a cyclotron, a type of particle accelerator that produces high-energy particles. The fluorine-18 isotope is produced by bombarding a target of oxygen-18 water with protons. The fluorine-18 is then used to fluorinate a precursor molecule, creating a radiopharmaceutical that can be used in PET imaging.

Applications

The primary application of radiofluorination is in the production of radiopharmaceuticals for PET imaging. These radiopharmaceuticals are used to image various types of tissues and organs in the body, including the brain, heart, and tumors. The most commonly used radiopharmaceutical produced through radiofluorination is Fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG), which is used to image glucose metabolism in the body.

Related Terms

External links

Medical encyclopedia article on Radiofluorination
Wikipedia's article - Radiofluorination

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Radiofluorination