N-3-[18F]fluoropropylputrescine as potential PET imaging agent for prostate and prostate derived tumors.

A potential PET imagining agent for prostate and prostate derived tumors, N-3-[18F]fluoropropylputrescine, has been prepared. The radiochemical yield was 7-10% at end-of-synthesis (EOS) and the specific activity was greater than 1.1 Ci/mumol (overall synthesis time was 1.5 hr). In vivo biodistribution in mature male rats showed high prostate uptake. In rats that were pretreated with alpha-difluoromethylornithine and dihydrotestosterone propionate, the prostate to muscle ratio and prostate to blood ratio increased significantly. This high target uptake and target to nontarget ratio indicates the potential of this compound as a prostate imaging agent.