Pittsburgh compound B

Pittsburgh compound B (PiB) is a radioactive compound that is used in positron emission tomography (PET) scans to image beta-amyloid plaques in the brains of patients with Alzheimer's disease. It was developed by researchers at the University of Pittsburgh in the early 2000s.

History

Pittsburgh compound B was first synthesized in 2002 by a team of researchers at the University of Pittsburgh led by Chester Mathis and William Klunk. The compound was developed as a tool for imaging beta-amyloid plaques in the brains of patients with Alzheimer's disease, a feature that had previously been difficult to visualize in living patients.

Structure and Function

Pittsburgh compound B is a derivative of Thioflavin T, a dye that binds to beta-amyloid plaques. The compound is labeled with the radioactive isotope Carbon-11, which allows it to be detected by a PET scanner. When injected into a patient, PiB crosses the blood-brain barrier and binds to beta-amyloid plaques in the brain. The radioactive decay of the carbon-11 isotope produces a positron, which can be detected by the PET scanner to create an image of the plaques.

Clinical Use

Pittsburgh compound B is primarily used in research settings to study the progression of Alzheimer's disease and the effectiveness of potential treatments. It has also been used in clinical trials to help diagnose Alzheimer's disease in its early stages. However, the use of PiB in routine clinical practice is limited by the short half-life of the carbon-11 isotope, which requires the compound to be synthesized shortly before use.

See Also

• Alzheimer's disease
• Beta-amyloid
• Positron Emission Tomography
• Thioflavin T