6-deoxy-6-iodo-D-glucose

6-deoxy-6-iodo-D-glucose (6DIG) is a radiopharmaceutical tracer developed by the Institut National de la Santé Et de la Recherche Médicale (INSERM) for the in vivo assessment of insulin resistance. As a glucose analogue labeled with iodine-123, 6DIG is transported into cells via glucose transporters (GLUT) but, unlike glucose or FDG, it is not a substrate for hexokinase and thus remains unphosphorylated. This property allows it to serve as a specific marker for glucose transport, which is the rate-limiting step in glucose metabolism affected by insulin resistance. It is primarily utilized in nuclear medicine imaging (SPECT/scintigraphy) to quantify insulin sensitivity in organs such as the heart and skeletal muscle, particularly in the context of type 2 diabetes mellitus and metabolic syndrome.

Other names

6-iodo-6-deoxy-D-glucose123-6-deoxy-6 iodo-D-glucose