Which structure is typically visualized on an image performed with F-18?

Which structure is typically visualized on an image performed with F-18?

• A. Heart
• B. Liver
• C. Brain
• D. Lung

Answer: (C)

Fluorine-18 (F-18) is a commonly used radioisotope in positron emission tomography (PET) imaging, particularly in the form of fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG). This tracer is particularly valuable because it mimics glucose and is utilized to visualize metabolic activity in various tissues. The brain, being highly metabolically active and dependent on glucose for energy, tends to show significant uptake of F-18 FDG. When performing imaging with F-18, areas with increased glucose metabolism, like tumors or areas of heightened neural activity, will be highlighted prominently. This makes F-18 particularly advantageous for assessing brain function and diagnosing conditions such as Alzheimer's disease, tumors, and seizures, among other neurological disorders. While other organs like the heart, liver, and lungs have metabolic activity, the brain is specifically chosen for visualization in F-18 studies due to its unique metabolic requirements and the high-resolution images generated by PET when analyzing neurological conditions.

Fluorine-18 (F-18) is a commonly used radioisotope in positron emission tomography (PET) imaging, particularly in the form of fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG). This tracer is particularly valuable because it mimics glucose and is utilized to visualize metabolic activity in various tissues. The brain, being highly metabolically active and dependent on glucose for energy, tends to show significant uptake of F-18 FDG.

When performing imaging with F-18, areas with increased glucose metabolism, like tumors or areas of heightened neural activity, will be highlighted prominently. This makes F-18 particularly advantageous for assessing brain function and diagnosing conditions such as Alzheimer's disease, tumors, and seizures, among other neurological disorders.

While other organs like the heart, liver, and lungs have metabolic activity, the brain is specifically chosen for visualization in F-18 studies due to its unique metabolic requirements and the high-resolution images generated by PET when analyzing neurological conditions.