"Prodrug" strategies applied to new generation pet imaging agent

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Positron emission tomography (PET) is a powerful nuclear-based imaging technique that allows the functional, quantitative, kinetic and tomographic (3D) visualization of physiological and biochemical processes. The technique relies on the injection of a radiopharmaceutical probe that is designed to interact with a specific biomolecule identified to play an important role in a disease process (these biomolecules are known as biomarkers). The ability to visualize the presence and function of a specific biomarker can provide scientists and physicians with information vital for the diagnosing, characterization, staging, and treatment of that disease. Given the recent progress made by molecular biologists in identifying new biomarkers coupled with the world shortage of medical isotopes, a high demand now exists for the development of new generation PET imaging agents.