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Increased amino acid transport into brain tumors measured by PET of L-(2-18F)fluorotyrosine

Journal Article · · Journal of Nuclear Medicine; (United States)
OSTI ID:5450469
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  1. Max-Planck-Institut fuer neurologische Forschung, Koeln (Germany)

The uptake of L-(2-18F)fluorotyrosine (F-Tyr), a newly synthetized amino acid tracer, was studied in 15 patients with various brain tumors by dynamic PET. The higher F-Tyr accumulation in tumors (mean 27% above contralateral tissue) was associated with two-fold transport rates into tumors, while the rate constants describing irreversible incorporation were decreased. The increased F-Tyr transport was not correlated to 68Ga-EDTA accumulation and cannot be explained by disruption of the blood-brain barrier. Kinetic analysis of 2-(18F)-fluoro-deoxy-glucose accumulation in the same patients demonstrated that increased metabolic rates in tumors are mainly caused by altered phosphorylation rates while transport of glucose is less affected. Since F-Tyr transport rates clearly separated tumors from normal tissue and since F-Tyr accumulation was related to tumor grade, PET studies of F-Tyr uptake are of clinical value for diagnosis and classification of brain tumors.

OSTI ID:
5450469
Journal Information:
Journal of Nuclear Medicine; (United States), Journal Name: Journal of Nuclear Medicine; (United States) Vol. 32:7; ISSN 0161-5505; ISSN JNMEA
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English