N-[18F]fluoroacetyl-D-glucosamine: a potential agent for cancer diagnosis

J Nucl Med. 1990 Oct;31(10):1654-8.

Abstract

Positron labeled substrates such as sugars, amino acids, and nucleosides have been investigated for the in-vivo evaluation of biochemical processes in cancerous tissue. Hexosamines are obligatory structural components of many biologically important macromolecules, including membrane glycoproteins and mucopolysaccharide. We evaluated a new synthesized pharmaceutical, N-[18F]fluoroacetyl-D-glucosamine (18F-FAG), which is a structural analog of N-acetyl-D-glucosamine. C3H/HeMsNRS mice bearing spontaneous hepatomas were used for the tissue distribution study. At 60 min after injection, high uptakes were found in tumor (5.16, mean value of %dose/g), liver (3.71), and kidney (3.27). The tumor uptake of 18F-FAG showed the highest value in all tissue. In the PET study, VX-2 carcinoma of the rabbit was clearly visualized. Our preliminary results suggest that 18F-FAG has potential as a new agent for tumor imaging.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Acetylglucosamine / analogs & derivatives*
  • Acetylglucosamine / pharmacokinetics
  • Animals
  • Autoradiography
  • Fluorine Radioisotopes*
  • Liver Neoplasms, Experimental / metabolism
  • Male
  • Mice
  • Mice, Inbred C3H
  • Neoplasms, Experimental / diagnostic imaging*
  • Neoplasms, Experimental / metabolism
  • Rabbits
  • Tissue Distribution
  • Tomography, Emission-Computed

Substances

  • Fluorine Radioisotopes
  • N-fluoroacetyl-D-glucosamine
  • Acetylglucosamine