Synthetic 18F labeled biomolecules that are selective and promising for PET imaging: major advances and applications

The concept of positron emission tomography (PET) based imaging was developed more than 40 years ago. It has been a widely adopted technique for detecting and staging numerous diseases in clinical settings, particularly cancer, neuro- and cardio-diseases. Here, we reviewed the evolution of PET and its advantages over other imaging modalities in clinical settings. Primarily, this review discusses recent advances in the synthesis of ¹⁸F radiolabeled biomolecules in light of the widely accepted performance for effective PET. The discussion particularly emphasizes the ¹⁸F-labeling chemistry of carbohydrates, lipids, amino acids, oligonucleotides, peptides, and protein molecules, which have shown promise for PET imaging in recent decades. In addition, we have deliberated on how ¹⁸F-labeled biomolecules enable the detection of metabolic changes at the cellular level and the selective imaging of gross anatomical localization via PET imaging. In the end, the review discusses the future perspective of PET imaging to control disease in clinical settings. We firmly believe that collaborative multidisciplinary research will further widen the comprehensive applications of PET approaches in the clinical management of cancer and other pathological outcomes.