[11C]palmitate

[11C]palmitate is a radiolabeled form of palmitic acid in which the carboxyl carbon is replaced with the positron-emitting isotope carbon-11. It is used as a metabolic tracer in positron emission tomography (PET) imaging to study fatty acid metabolism in vivo. Because it is chemically identical to endogenous palmitate, it follows normal physiological pathways for fatty acids—being taken up by tissues such as heart, liver, and brain where it can be oxidized or incorporated into lipids. The mechanism of action involves tracing the uptake and subsequent metabolism (including β-oxidation and esterification) of free fatty acids at the tissue level. Its short half-life (~20 minutes) allows for dynamic studies with low radiation exposure[5][10]. Primary indications include assessment of myocardial fatty acid metabolism and research into metabolic diseases such as diabetes and obesity[4][5][6][10].

Other names

[1-(11)C]palmitic acidcarbon-11 palmitatecarbon11 palmitatecarbon 11 palmitate1-[C-11] palmitic acid