A new fluorinated amino acid tracer derivative of methionine has recently been developed by CRCBID researchers. A tracer that can identify up-regulated amino acid metabolism in cancer cells throughout all parts of the body would be a valuable tool for clinicians. ANSTO has produced a tracer that aids the visualisation of tumours grown from prostate and colon cancer cells lines implanted in mice.

Image courtesy Dr Delphine Denoyer, Peter Mac