Gallium-68 in Medical Imaging

Title:Gallium-68 in Medical Imaging

VOLUME: 9 ISSUE: 3

Author(s):Lucia Martiniova, Louis De Palatis, Elba Etchebehere and Gregory Ravizzini

Affiliation:University of Texas MD Anderson Cancer Center, 1400 Pressler, Unit Number: 1483, Houston, TX 7703, USA.

Keywords:⁶⁸Gallium, generator, neuroendocrine tumors, positron emission tomography, somatostatin receptor scintigraphy, PSMA.

Abstract:Over the past several years, Positron Emission Tomography (PET) imaging agents labeled with ⁶⁸Gallium (⁶⁸Ga) have undergone a significant increase in clinical utilization. ⁶⁸Ga is conveniently produced from a germanium-68/gallium-68 (⁶⁸Ge/⁶⁸Ga) generator. Because of the compact size and ease of use of the generator, ⁶⁸Ga labeled compounds may be more cost-effective than PET radioisotopes that are cyclotron-produced. The convenient half-life of ⁶⁸Ga (T_1/2=68 min) provides sufficient radioactivity for various PET imaging applications, while delivering acceptable radiation doses to patients. This chapter summarizes the emerging clinical utilization of ⁶⁸Ga-based radiotracers in medical imaging.

Cite this article as:

Lucia Martiniova, Louis De Palatis, Elba Etchebehere and Gregory Ravizzini, “Gallium-68 in Medical Imaging”, Current Radiopharmaceuticals (2016) 9: 187. https://doi.org/10.2174/1874471009666161028150654

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