The research offshoot of Northwell Health has scored approval from the Food and Drug Administration for a new imaging agent that can help diagnose Parkinson’s disease.
Fluorodopa F 18, as the drug is called, is injected into patients in preparation for a PET scan. Once administered, the agent helps radiologists to detect any damaged or lost nerve cells in the brain. Clinicians can also use it to follow the disease’s progression, along with the integrity of intracerebral implants.
“This FDA approval is the pinnacle of our venture to have a safe and effective imaging agent for the differential diagnosis of Parkinsonian syndromes,” Thomas Chaly, PhD, chief of cyclotron/radiochemistry at the Feinstein Institutes for Medical Research, said in a statement.
Chaly, who was instrumental in gaining the FDA approval, added that he hopes PET centers across the United States will begin incorporating Fluorodopa F 18 into their regular protocols alongside other previous methods for diagnosing Parkinson’s. You can read more about the contrast agent here.
Marty Stempniak has covered healthcare since 2012, with his byline appearing in the American Hospital Association's member magazine, Modern Healthcare and McKnight's. Prior to that, he wrote about village government and local business for his hometown newspaper in Oak Park, Illinois. He won a Peter Lisagor and Gold EXCEL awards in 2017 for his coverage of the opioid epidemic.