L-(11C) methionine

L-(11C) methionine is a synthetic radiolabeled amino acid, specifically the essential amino acid methionine tagged with the radioactive isotope carbon‑11. It acts as a methyl donor and is incorporated into macromolecules during protein synthesis. Its primary use is as a positron emission tomography (PET) imaging agent for detecting tumors, especially those with high rates of protein synthesis such as brain, head and neck, lung, and breast cancers, as well as lymphomas. The uptake of L-(11C) methionine in tissues is mediated by large neutral amino acid transporters (notably LAT1), which are often overexpressed in tumor cells. This property allows for sensitive detection and delineation of active tumor tissue compared to normal tissue or post-treatment changes[1][2][4][5][6][7].

Other names

Methionine (11c)2-Amino-4-[11C]methylsulfanyl-butanoic acid