MAT2A ligand 1 is a MAT2A inhibitor (IC50=29.5 nM) that acts as a PET tracer capable of crossing the blood-brain barrier. It is utilized for non-invasive imaging of tumors expressing MAT2A, exhibiting rapid tumor uptake equilibrium, high tumor-to-muscle ratio, and specific tumor-binding properties. MAT2A ligand 1 is applicable in research related to non-small cell lung cancer, hepatocellular carcinoma, colorectal cancer, gastric cancer, glioblastoma, pancreatic adenocarcinoma, urothelial carcinoma, breast cancer, and prostate cancer.