Pronunciation:

floor-oh-DOE-pa F 18

Uses of This Medicine:

Fluorodopa F 18 injection is used in adults to help diagnose Parkinsonian syndromes and other cognitive (mental) problems. It is used in a procedure called positron emission tomography (PET) scan to help your doctor see an image of your brain.

Fluorodopa F 18 is a radiopharmaceutical. Radiopharmaceuticals are radioactive agents, which may be used to find and treat certain diseases or to study the function of the body's organs.

This medicine is to be given only by or under the direct supervision of a doctor with specialized training in nuclear medicine.

Before Using This Medicine:

In deciding to use a diagnostic test, any risks of the test must be weighed against the good it will do. This is a decision you and your doctor will make. Also, other things may affect test results. For this test, the following should be considered:

Allergies—

Tell your doctor if you have ever had any unusual or allergic reaction to this medicine or any other medicines. Also tell your health care professional if you have any other types of allergies, such as to foods, dyes, preservatives, or animals. For non-prescription products, read the label or package ingredients carefully.

Children—

Appropriate studies have not been performed on the relationship of age to the effects of fluorodopa F 18 injection in the pediatric population. Safety and efficacy have not been established.

Older adults—

No information is available on the relationship of age to the effects of fluorodopa F 18 injection in geriatric patients.

Breast-feeding—

There are no adequate studies in women for determining infant risk when using this medication during breastfeeding. Weigh the potential benefits against the potential risks before taking this medication while breastfeeding.

Other medicines—

Although certain medicines should not be used together at all, in other cases two different medicines may be used together even if an interaction might occur. In these cases, your doctor may want to change the dose, or other precautions may be necessary. Tell your healthcare professional if you are taking any other prescription or nonprescription (over-the-counter [OTC]) medicine.

Other interactions—

Certain medicines should not be used at or around the time of eating food or eating certain types of food since interactions may occur. Using alcohol or tobacco with certain medicines may also cause interactions to occur. Discuss with your healthcare professional the use of your medicine with food, alcohol, or tobacco.

Proper Use of This Medicine:

A doctor or other trained health professional will give you this medicine. This medicine is given through a needle placed in one of your veins just before you have a PET scan.

Your doctor may want you to take carbidopa at least 1 hour before receiving this medicine. You may need to stop taking any medicines for Parkinson's disease at least 12 hours before receiving this medicine.

Drink enough water to be hydrated before the PET scan.

You will need to urinate right away and as often as possible for 12 hours after the PET scan.

Precautions While Using This Medicine:

It is very important that your doctor check your progress very closely while you are receiving this medicine. This will allow your doctor to see if the medicine is working properly and to decide if you should continue to receive it.

While receiving this medicine, you will be exposed to radiation. If you have any questions about this, talk to your doctor.

It is important to tell your doctor that you are pregnant or breastfeeding before using this medicine.

Side Effects of This Medicine:

Along with its needed effects, a medicine may cause some unwanted effects. Although not all of these side effects may occur, if they do occur they may need medical attention.

Check with your doctor or nurse immediately if any of the following side effects occur:

Incidence not known

Fast heartbeat

fever

hives, itching, or rash

hoarseness

irritation

joint pain, stiffness, or swelling

redness of the skin

swelling of the eyelids, face, lips, hands, or feet

tightness in the chest

troubled breathing or swallowing

Some side effects may occur that usually do not need medical attention. These side effects may go away during treatment as your body adjusts to the medicine. Also, your health care professional may be able to tell you about ways to prevent or reduce some of these side effects. Check with your health care professional if any of the following side effects continue or are bothersome or if you have any questions about them:

Incidence not known

Pain, redness, or skin irritation at the injection site

Other side effects not listed may also occur in some patients. If you notice any other effects, check with your healthcare professional.

Call your doctor for medical advice about side effects. You may report side effects to the FDA at 1-800-FDA-1088.