[18F]FCFN

[18F]FCFN (fluorine-18 labeled fluorocarfentanil) is a positron emission tomography (PET) radiotracer developed as a safer, more widely accessible alternative to carbon-11 labeled carfentanil ([11C]CFN) for neuroimaging of the mu-opioid receptor (MOR) system. Carfentanil is an extremely potent synthetic opioid, which poses safety risks and has limited clinical research utility due to the short 20.4-minute half-life of carbon-11. In contrast, [18F]FCFN can be manufactured at higher molar activity, administered at lower, safer doses, and benefits from the longer half-life of fluorine-18 (109.8 minutes). Preclinical evaluations in rodents and non-human primates demonstrate that [18F]FCFN exhibits rapid brain uptake, favorable pharmacokinetics, and high specific binding in MOR-rich brain regions (such as the thalamus) with low non-specific binding, making it a promising tool for studying opioid addiction neurobiology and receptor availability.

Other names

[18F]fluorocarfentanilfluorocarfentanil