Synthesis and Ex Vivo Autoradiographic Evaluation of Ethyl-β-d-galactopyranosyl-(1,4′)-2′-deoxy-2′-[18F]fluoro-β-d-glucopyranoside—A Novel Radioligand for Lactose-Binding Protein: Implications for Early Detection of Pancreatic Carcinomas with PET

Introduction Previous studies demonstrated that the lactose-binding protein (hepatocellular carcinoma–intestine–pancreas and pancreatitis-associated proteins (HIP/PAP)) is upregulated >130 times in peritumoral pancreatic tissue as compared to normal pancreatic tissue. Therefore, we developed a new radiolabeled ligand of HIP/PAP, the ethyl-β-d-galactopyranosyl-(1,4′)-2′-deoxy-2′-[18F]fluoro-β-d-glucopyranoside (Et-[18F]FDL) for noninvasive imaging of pancreatic carcinoma using positron emission tomography and computerized tomography (PET/CT).