[123I/18F] N-(2-aminoethyl)-5-halogeno-2-pyridinecarbox-amides, site specific tracers for MAO-B mapping with SPECT and PET.

After the successful 123I-labelling of Ro 43-0463 the new radiopharmaceutical was tested in animals and humans. Both investigations proved the binding of the labelled compound to cerebral MAO-B. SPECT investigations resulted in an imaging of the MAO-B distribution in the human brain. This prompted us to develop the labelling of this type of MAO-B inhibitor with 18F enabling us to transfer our results to PET.