m-(18F)-Fluorobenzylguanidine

Florbenguane F18 is a radioconjugate composed of the positron-emitting radioisotope fluorine F 18 labeled benzylguanidine, a synthetic analogue of the adrenergic neurotransmitter norepinephrine (NE), with potential use in the diagnostic imaging of human norepinephrine transporter (hNET)-expressing cells by either positron emitting tomography (PET) or computed tomography (CT). Upon administration, florbenguane F18 is taken up by and accumulates in both the granules of adrenal medullary chromaffin cells and the pre-synaptic granules of adrenergic neurons in a manner almost identical to that of NE. In turn, hNET-expressing tumor cells can be imaged by PET or CT. hNET, a transmembrane protein and regulator of catecholamine uptake normally restricted to the central and peripheral sympathetic nervous system, is overexpressed in certain tumor cell types.