Gallium-68: A New Trend in PET Radiopharmacy

M.      Isabel M. Prata

Abstract

The most common PET radioisotopes, both in the literature and in clinical practice, are the cyclotron produced 11C and 18F, giving rise to tracers with minimal chemical changes with respect to the original biological molecule. However, the short half-life of these two radioisotopes and the relatively complex chemistry of their incorporation into the molecules of interest limits the number of molecules that really can be labelled in a suitable length of time. 68Ga is a positron emitter, produced by a 68Ge/68Ga generator rending the production of its radiopharmaceuticals independent of an onsite cyclotron. This paper covers the main aspects of the Ga3+ coordination chemistry together with the state of art of its radiopharmacy.

Keywords: Bioconjugates, PET imaging, nuclear probes, 68Ge/68Ga generator, gallium-68, MSH, Peptides, Imaging, Antibodies