Patent Number: 
Section: claims

1. A method of observing cellular metabolism in vivo in a mammal, the method comprising the steps of:(a) administering a composition to the mammal comprising a positron emission tomography (PET) probe selected from the group consisting of 18F labelled:2-fluoro-2-deoxyarabinose;3-fluoro-3-deoxyarabinose;2-fluoro-2-deoxyribose;3-fluoro-3-deoxyribose;1-fluoro-1-deoxy-alpha-ribose; and1-fluoro-1-deoxy-beta-ribose;(b) allowing the probe to accumulate in cells in the mammal; and(c) observing the accumulated probe in the mammal using a positron emission tomography and a computed tomography (CT) process;so that cellular metabolism in the mammal is observed. 2. The method of claim 1, wherein the cellular metabolism that is observed in vivo comprises a metabolic profile observed in a pathological condition. 3. The method of claim 1, wherein the cellular metabolism that is observed in vivo comprises a metabolic profile observed in response to a therapeutic agent administered to the mammal. 4. The method of claim 1, wherein the mammal that is monitored has been administered an oxythiamine, an insulin, an metformin, a leflunomide or a methotrexate composition. 5. The method of claim 1, wherein:the mammal is a human;the PET probe consists of: (2-fluoro-2-deoxyarabinose); andcellular metabolism in liver, kidney, and/or intestinal tissues is selectively observed using a positron emission tomography process. 6. The method of claim 1, wherein probe that accumulates in the cells is phosphorylated by a ribokinase expressed by the cells. 7. A method of selectively observing a tissue or organ in vivo in a mammal, the method comprising the steps of:(a) administering a composition to the mammal comprising a positron emission tomography (PET) probe selected from the group consisting of ‘8F labelled:2-fluoro-2-deoxyarabinose;3-fluoro-3-deoxyarabinose;2-fluoro-2-deoxyribose;3-fluoro-3-deoxyribose;1-fluoro-1-deoxy-alpha-ribose; or1-fluoro-1-deoxy-beta-ribose;(b) allowing the probe to selectively accumulate in the tissue or organ; and(c) observing the accumulated probe in the mammal using a positron emission tomography and a computed tomography process;so that the tissue or organ is selectively observed in vivo in the mammal. 8. The method of claim 7, wherein the positron emission tomography probe is administered to the mammal in combination with a pharmaceutically acceptable compound comprising a diluent, a carrier, or a binding agent. 9. The method of claim 7, wherein the method observes cellular metabolism in liver, kidney, and/or intestinal tissues. 10. The method of claim 9, wherein the observed cellular metabolism is metabolism observed in at least one of:a metabolic disorder;tumor growth;gluconeogenesis;de novo nucleotide synthesisa neurodegenerative syndrome;a syndrome characterized by ischemia;a syndrome characterized by chronic inflammation;congestive heart failure; orstroke. 11. The method of claim 7, wherein the method observes a physiological activity in the tissue or organ that is observed in at least one of: tissue dysfunction; tissue regeneration; or tissue neoplasm. 12. The method of claim 1 or claim 7, wherein the positron emission tomography (PET) probe is 18F labelled 2-fluoro-2-deoxyarabinose. 13. The method of claim 7, wherein the positron emission tomography (PET) probe is 18F labelled 3-fluoro-3-deoxyarabinose. 14. The method of claim 1 or claim 7, wherein the positron emission tomography (PET) probe is 18F labelled 2-fluoro-2-deoxyribose. 15. The method of claim 1 or claim 7, wherein the positron emission tomography (PET) probe is 18F labelled 3-fluoro-3-deoxyribose. 16. The method of claim 1 or claim 7, wherein the positron emission tomography (PET) probe is 18F labelled 1-fluoro-1-deoxy-alpha-ribose. 17. The method of claim 1 or claim 7, wherein the positron emission tomography (PET) probe is 18F labelled 1-fluoro-1-deoxy-beta-ribose.