FDG Accumulation and Tumor Biology

• Published in: Nuclear Medicine and Biology Vol. 25; no. 4; pp. 317 - 322
• Main Authors: Pauwels, E.K.J, Ribeiro, M.J, Stoot, J.H.M.B, McCready, V.R, Bourguignon, M, Mazière, B
• Format: Book Review Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Amsterdam Elsevier Inc 01.05.1998; Elsevier
• Subjects: Biological and medical sciences; Fluorodeoxyglucose; Fluorodeoxyglucose F18 - pharmacokinetics; Glucose - metabolism; Glycolysis; Humans; Investigative techniques, diagnostic techniques (general aspects); Medical sciences; Miscellaneous. Technology; Mutagenesis - genetics; Neoplasms - diagnostic imaging; Neoplasms - genetics; Neoplasms - metabolism; Radionuclide Imaging; Radionuclide investigations; Radiopharmaceuticals - pharmacokinetics; Scintigraphy; Tumor biology; Fluorodeoxyglucose; Tumor biology; Scintigraphy; Radionuclide study; Human; Pathophysiology; Fluorine; Malignant tumor; Metabolism; Uptake; Transport process; Distribution; Glycolysis; Reaction mechanism; Medical imagery; Technique
• ISSN: 0969-8051; 1872-9614
• DOI: 10.1016/S0969-8051(97)00226-6

The tumoral uptake of fluorine-18-deoxyglucose (FDG) is based upon enhanced glycolysis. Following injection, FDG is phosphorylated and trapped intracellularly. An important mechanism to transport FDG into the transformed cell is based upon the action of glucose transporter proteins; furthermore, highly active hexokinase bound to tumor mitochondria helps to trap FDG into the cell. In addition, enhanced FDG uptake may be due to relative hypoxia in tumor masses, which activates the anaerobic glycolytic pathway. In spite of these processes, FDG uptake is relatively aspecific since all living cells need glucose. Clinical use is therefore recommended in carefully selected patients.