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After the production phase, fluorine-18 has a half-life of just under two hours due to radioactive decay. Therefore, once created, this isotope must be used quickly to prepare radiotracers like FDG. Radiochemists work meticulously to attach radioactive fluorine to glucose molecules, resulting in FDG, ready for administration to the patient.
How PET Scans Work: The Science Behind the Imaging
Upon being injected with FDG, the tracer zips through the bloodstream and earmarks the target areas inside the body. Cancer cells or areas of infection, for instance, will capture a more considerable proportion of the FDG compared to healthy cells.