18F-Containing Positron Emission Tomography Probe Conjugation Methodology for Biologics as Specific Binders for Tumors

Molecular imaging can be used to evaluate the spatial–time change of the molecular biological phenomenon of the cell–molecule level in living bodies. Molecular imaging technology is expected to be applied in the fields of drug development, clinical diagnosis, and life science research. Specifically, positron emission tomography (PET) is a powerful non-invasive imaging technology for investigating physiological parameters in living animals using compounds labeled with PET radioisotopes as molecular probes. This review summarizes and compares various 18F-conjugation techniques that employ the chemical and enzymatic reactions of different types of tumor-targeting biological molecules such as peptides, proteins, antibodies, and nucleic acids.