First Licence for FET-PET Diagnostic Method

Successful translation: the amino acid 18F-fluoroethyl tyrosine (FET), which was developed by JARA-BRAIN scientists, has been licensed for the first time as a radiopharmaceutical agent for the diagnosis of brain diseases in humans by the Swiss Agency for Therapeutic Products.

FET is used in positron emission tomography (PET). In comparison with conventional radiological diagnostics, FET-PET offers important additional information on the size and position of a tumour and on the metabolism of brain tumours. This is particularly helpful for treatment monitoring during radiotherapy and chemotherapy for tumours. The first licence for FET in a western European country is the result of JARA-BRAIN’s successful PET research, which encompasses the development, systematic evaluation, and practical application of new diagnostic methods.