Making Alzheimer's visible: Dr. Marianne Patt opens the cyclotron, in which radioactive fluorine-18 is produced. The protein deposits that can be identified with the new radiopharmaceutical florbetaben are regarded as a potential trigger of the disease.
Alzheimer's gradually alters a person's mental capacity. One important indicator of the disease is the formation of protein deposits in the brain known as amyloid plaques. Until now, these could only be identified in tissue samples from deceased patients. Researchers at Bayer HealthCare are working on an innovative substance that could support doctors in earlier diagnosis of Alzheimer's disease.
Race against decay
The new diagnostic method is based on the radioactive decay of fluorine-18, a molecule with only a short half-life. For this reason, it must be manufactured in the direct vicinity of a hospital or doctor’s office. The result is a compelling race against the clock. Find out how the protein hunters reach their destination in the brain in time.