FDG Production and Distribution

FDG is an extremely versatile diagnostic radio-pharmaceutical used in PET imaging. In 1998, demand for the clinical use of fluorodeoxyglucose (18FDG) began to rise at an astonishing rate. There were several factors in the driving force behind this growth. One factor was the availability of lower cost gamma camera SPECT systems with coincidence imaging capability. Another factor was the limited approval by private insurers, as well as Medicare, to pay for specific clinical uses of 18FDG. Another significant contributor to the increasing demand was the emergence of regional cyclotron facilities that produce and distribute 18FDG. As these regional centers began to network across the United States, 18FDG became widely available, even in areas perceived unreachable by previous models.