Fluorodeoxyglucose
Fluorodeoxyglucose (pronounced: floor-oh-dee-ox-ee-gloo-kose), often abbreviated as FDG, is a glucose analog that is labeled with the radioactive isotope Fluorine-18. It is used in medical imaging to detect diseases such as cancer and Alzheimer's disease.
Etymology
The term "Fluorodeoxyglucose" is derived from its chemical structure. It is a glucose molecule where one of the hydroxyl groups is replaced by a Fluorine atom, hence the prefix "Fluoro". The "deoxy" part of the name refers to the fact that it is a deoxy sugar, meaning it has one less oxygen atom than normal glucose.
Usage in Medical Imaging
Fluorodeoxyglucose is used in a type of medical imaging called Positron Emission Tomography (PET). In PET scans, FDG is injected into the patient's body, where it is taken up by cells that use glucose for energy. Because cancer cells and other diseased cells often use more glucose than normal cells, they take up more FDG. This allows doctors to see where the diseased cells are in the body.
Related Terms
- Fluorine-18: The radioactive isotope of fluorine that is used to label FDG.
- Positron Emission Tomography (PET): A type of medical imaging that uses radioactive substances to visualize the body's function and metabolism.
- Glucose: A simple sugar that is an important energy source in living organisms and is a component of many carbohydrates.
See Also
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