FDG works by exploiting the high glucose uptake in cancer cells. Tumor cells often exhibit increased metabolic activity and consume glucose at a higher rate than normal cells. When a patient is injected with 18F-FDG, the compound is taken up by cells throughout the body, but it accumulates more in cancer cells due to their elevated glucose metabolism. The radioactive decay of 18F emits positrons, which are detected by the PET scanner to produce detailed images of metabolic activity in the body.
