The Principles of Radiopharmaceuticals in PET

PET is a functional imaging modality whose diagnostic power is dictated by the physical properties of positron-emitting radionuclides and the biological specificity of their carrier molecules. The article explores the paradigm shift from traditional metabolic imaging with [¹⁸F]fluorodeoxyglucose to the rapidly expanding field of theranostics, where receptor-specific agents targeting somatostatin receptors and prostate-specific membrane antigen are currently being used to drive precision oncology and predictive dosimetry. For the practicing radiologist or nuclear medicine physician, mastery of these underlying principles is essential for ensuring diagnostic accuracy, quantitative reliability, and safe clinical workflows.