Fluorothymidine F-18
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Fluorothymidine F-18 (FLT) is a
tumor A neoplasm () is a type of abnormal and excessive growth of tissue. The process that occurs to form or produce a neoplasm is called neoplasia. The growth of a neoplasm is uncoordinated with that of the normal surrounding tissue, and persists ...
-specific PET tracer and radiopharmaceutical. It is an isotopologue of
alovudine Alovudine (fluorothymidine) is an antiviral agent which was being developed by Medivir. It was discontinued after a Phase II trial in 2005 due to toxicity. It is a DNA polymerase A DNA polymerase is a member of a family of enzymes that catal ...
. FLT is suitable for monitoring how tumors respond to
cytostatic Cytostasis (cyto – cell; stasis – stoppage) is the inhibition of cell growth and multiplication. Cytostatic refers to a cellular component or medicine that inhibits cell division. Cytostasis is an important prerequisite for structured multic ...
therapy. FLT accumulates in proliferating cells where it indicates the activity of the enzyme thymidine kinase.
Cell division Cell division is the process by which a parent cell (biology), cell divides into two daughter cells. Cell division usually occurs as part of a larger cell cycle in which the cell grows and replicates its chromosome(s) before dividing. In eukar ...
can be characterized by the activity of that enzyme. FLT is phosphorylated as though it were thymidine, and is subsequently incorporated into DNA. Thymidine is essential for DNA replication. Considering that FLT lacks a 3′-hydroxy group,
transcription Transcription refers to the process of converting sounds (voice, music etc.) into letters or musical notes, or producing a copy of something in another medium, including: Genetics * Transcription (biology), the copying of DNA into RNA, the fir ...
of DNA is impeded following incorporating of FLT. FLT indicates changes in tumor cell proliferation by tracking the restoration of nucleosides from degenerated DNA.


References

{{Diagnostic agents PET radiotracers Pyrimidinediones Organofluorides