Synthesis and Preclinical Evaluation of [18F]FCHC for Neuroimaging of Fatty Acid Amide Hydrolase

Purpose Fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH), a catabolic enzyme which regulates lipid transmitters in the endocannabinoid system, is an avidly sought therapeutic and positron emission tomography (PET) imaging target for studies involving addiction and neurological disorders. We report the synthesis of a new fluorine-18-labeled FAAH inhibitor, trans-3-(4, 5-dihydrooxazol-2-yl)phenyl-4-[18F]fluorocyclohexylcarbamate ([18F]FCHC), and its evaluation in rat brain.