Chemistry Department Colloquium

Positron Emission Tomography (PET) measures the concentration and movement of a positron emitting radioisotope in a volume element of living tissue. When the positron emitting isotope such as carbon-11 (t1/2: 20.4 min) or fluorine-18 (t1/2: 110 min) is incorporated into a molecule which is targeted to a specific cellular element (receptor, transporter, enzyme) or when it is incorporated into a drug molecule, PET can provide information on biochemical transformations or the movement of drugs in the living human and animal body. This can provide unique new knowledge of biological pathways which are altered in disease and by drugs. The advancement of PET for biological applications requires innovation in radiotracer chemistry, particularly in the development of rapid synthetic methods for introducing the short-lived isotopes, carbon-11 and fluorine-18 into chemical compounds which are targeted to different cellular elements. In this presentation, we highlight some examples of development and applications selective radiotracers to measure drug action in the human brain. We will also highlight new radiotracer methods which will serve as scientific tools for advancing molecular imaging and knowledge of the human brain.