NCIt definition : A radiotracer consisting of choline labeled with the positron-emitting isotope carbon
C 11 with potential imaging use. Upon administration, C-11 choline incorporates into
tumor cells through an active, carrier-mediated transport mechanism for choline and
then is phosphorylated intracellularly by choline kinase, an enzyme frequently upregulated
in human tumors, yielding phosphoryl C-11 choline. In turn, phosphoryl C-11 choline
is integrated into phospholipids in the cell membrane as part of phosphatidylcholine.
As the proliferation of cancer cells is much higher than normal cells, tumor cells
exhibit an increased rate of C-11 choline uptake and incorporation, allowing tumor
imaging with positron emission tomography (PET).;
Currated CISMeF NLP mapping