Medical imaging is a technique or process to obtain images of body image, especially in the body for medical purposes. Medical imaging is run in order to know the shape and function of organs, certain substances and metabolism process in the body. While this has been used for purpose mentioned such Positron Emission Tomography (PET), Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), Ultrasound Tomography, Nuclear Medicine and Computed Tomography (CT).

One important thing in the development of medical imaging is development of contrast to increase the coverage and quality of the results obtained. In this field, the development of molecular design innovation that promises vast opportunities.

In the 1970s, Ido Tatsui from Brookhaven National Laboratory for the first time introducing a form of glucose analog compound 2-fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose (FDG) which is bounded with radioisotope fluoride-18 (18F-FDG). Fluorine-18 is radioisotope Positron transmitter with part-time 110 minutes. In August 1976, for the first time 18F-FDG is tried to two volunteers to get a human brain based on glucose metabolism.

When that time imaging still use ordinary scanners, not using the PET camera. Currently, along with the progress of utilizing PET camera coincidence detection, 18F-FDG has become a mainstay of medical imaging in several countries to detect the cancer early. Detection is based on the glucose metabolism in cancer cells can know this cancer early, when the metabolism of cancer cells a new start. The level of malignancy (growth rate) of cancer can be of use PET 18F-FDG.

Medical imaging by using PET promises of the future. In expectation, description of various body metabolisms and the differences can be obtained by using PET camera. Currently, other than 18F-FDG, there are some specific compound with biodynamical continue to be developed to expand the coverage of medical imaging using PET. For example, the compound marked Fluoromisonidazole-18F (18FMISO) to hypoxic tissue visualization and 11C-flumazenil to get of the benzodiazepine receptor in the body.