FE-DTBZ

FE-DTBZ (9-fluoroethyl-9-desmethyl-dihydrotetrabenazine) is a fluorine-18 labeled small molecule radiopharmaceutical developed by researchers at the University of Pennsylvania and the University of Michigan. It functions as a high-affinity ligand for the vesicular monoamine transporter 2 (VMAT2), a protein responsible for the packaging of monoamine neurotransmitters into synaptic vesicles. As a positron emission tomography (PET) imaging agent, [18F]FE-DTBZ allows for the non-invasive quantification of VMAT2 density in the brain, which serves as a reliable biomarker for the integrity of dopaminergic neurons. It is primarily investigated for the diagnosis, differential diagnosis, and monitoring of neurodegenerative disorders characterized by monoaminergic loss, such as Parkinson's disease and Huntington's disease. The use of the fluorine-18 isotope provides a longer physical half-life (110 minutes) compared to carbon-11 labeled analogs, facilitating its distribution and use in routine clinical settings.

Other names

9-fluoroethyl-9-desmethyl-dihydrotetrabenazine(±)-FE-DTBZ9-fluoroethyl-9-desmethyl-DTBZFluorine-18 fluoroethyl-dihydrotetrabenazineFluorine18 fluoroethyl-dihydrotetrabenazineFluorine 18 fluoroethyl-dihydrotetrabenazine