fluorometyrosine f 18

6-[18F]fluoro-m-tyrosine (6-[18F]FMT) is a small molecule radiopharmaceutical developed for positron emission tomography (PET) imaging of the central nervous system. It serves as a noncatecholic radioligand and an analog of L-DOPA, specifically designed to quantify the activity of aromatic L-amino acid decarboxylase (AADC), an enzyme involved in the biosynthesis of dopamine and noradrenaline. Unlike the commonly used tracer 6-[18F]fluoro-L-dopa (FDOPA), 6-[18F]FMT is not a substrate for catechol-O-methyltransferase (COMT), which prevents the formation of O-methylated metabolites that can interfere with image quantification. This property results in a superior signal-to-noise ratio and more accurate measurement of presynaptic dopaminergic function. It is primarily used in clinical research to study Parkinson's disease progression, freezing of gait, and other neurodegenerative conditions involving the dopaminergic and noradrenergic systems.

Other names

6-[18F]fluoro-m-tyrosine6-[18F]FMT18F-FMT6-fluoro-L-m-tyrosinefluorometyrosine (18F)