From:  The role of neuroimaging in Alzheimer’s disease: implications for the diagnosis, monitoring disease progression, and treatment

PET radiopharmaceuticals and their clinical uses

TracerHalf-lifeTargetMOAClinical usesReferences
[18F]FDG109.8 minGlucose metabolismMeasures of brain glucose metabolism and hypometabolism in ADAssessment of brain glucose metabolism, monitoring disease progression, and evaluating response to treatment[124]
[11C]PiB20.4 minAβ plaquesIt binds to Aβ plaques and measures the amyloid burden in the brainAssessment of amyloid burden, diagnosis of AD, and monitoring of disease progression[125, 126]
[18F]AV-1451 (T807)109.8 minTau proteinTargets tau protein aggregation and phosphorylation in ADAssessment of tau pathology, diagnosis of AD, and monitoring of disease progression[127–129]
[18F]THK-5351 (T807)109.8 minAβ plaques and NFTsIt binds to both Aβ plaques and NFTs in the brainAssessment of tau pathology, diagnosis of AD, and monitoring of disease progression[130]
[18F]BF-227 (florbetaben)109.8 minAβ plaquesIt binds to Aβ plaques and measures the amyloid burden in the brainAssessment of amyloid burden, diagnosis of AD, and monitoring disease progression[131]
[18F]Flutemetamol109.8 minAβ plaquesIt binds to Aβ plaques and measures the amyloid burden in the brainAssessment of amyloid burden, diagnosis of AD, and monitoring disease progression[132, 133]
[11C]PBB320.4 minAβ plaques and NFTsIt binds to both Aβ plaques and NFTs in the brainAssessment of amyloid burden, diagnosis of AD, and monitoring disease progression[134]
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Aβ: amyloid beta; AD: Alzheimer’s disease; [18F]BF-227: 2-(4-(4-(2-[18F]fluoroethyl)thiazol-2-yl)phenoxy)-N-(4-(trifluoromethyl)phenyl)acetamide; [18F]FDG: 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose; [18F]AV-1451: fluorine-18 T807 (flortaucipir); MOA: mechanism of action; NFTs: neurofibrillary tangles; [11C]PBB3: pyridinyl-butadienyl-benzothiazole-3; [11C]PiB: 11-carborn-pittsburgh compound B; THK-5351: N-(1-(2-(dimethylamino)ethyl)-2-(4-(methylthio)phenyl)-2-oxoethyl)-3-fluorobenzeneacetamide; PET: positron emission tomography