Positron Emission Tomography

Humana Press, 2011, 364 pages, $129 Positron Emission Tomography is a useful, informative book on PET methods in molecular biology in solid tumors authored by many well-known physicians and scientists from the United States and Europe. Besides 18F-FDG PET, the book describes newer and promising PET radiotracers such as the precursors of amine metabolism, 11C- or 18F-L-3,4-dihydroxyphenylalanine (L-DOPA) and 11C-5- hydroxy-L-tryptophan (5-HTP) for neuroendocrine tumors; 6-18F-fluorodopamine is a highly specific agent for localization of adrenal and extraadrenal pheochromocytoma, and 11C-hydroxyl ephedrine concentrates in the sympathetic adrenergic nerve terminals, making it useful in pheochromocytoma and cardiac imaging. 11C-metomidate, an imidazole methyl ester, is a potent inhibitor of a key enzyme in the synthesis of adrenal cortisol and aldosterone. PET using 18F-39- deoxy-39fluorthymidine (FLT), a fluorinated thymidine analog that reflects the activity of thymidine kinase 1, is used to monitor treatment response in breast cancer or androgen ablation therapy by showing marked reduction in 18F-FLT accumulation in tumor. 18F-fluoroestriol uptake in breast cancer correlates with estrogen receptor expression in primary and metastatic breast cancer. 68Ga-labeled F(ab9) trastuzumab can noninvasively identify breast cancer patients overexpressing HER2 and hence be more likely to respond to trastuzumab treatment.