Human Positron Emission Tomography Neuroimaging

2019 ◽  
Vol 21 (1) ◽  
pp. 551-581 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jacob M. Hooker ◽  
Richard E. Carson

Neuroimaging with positron emission tomography (PET) is the most powerful tool for understanding pharmacology, neurochemistry, and pathology in the living human brain. This technology combines high-resolution scanners to measure radioactivity throughout the human body with specific, targeted radioactive molecules, which allow measurements of a myriad of biological processes in vivo . While PET brain imaging has been active for almost 40 years, the pace of development for neuroimaging tools, known as radiotracers, and for quantitative analytical techniques has increased dramatically over the past decade. Accordingly, the fundamental questions that can be addressed with PET have expanded in basic neurobiology, psychiatry, neurology, and related therapeutic development. In this review, we introduce the field of human PET neuroimaging, some of its conceptual underpinnings, and motivating questions. We highlight some of the more recent advances in radiotracer development, quantitative modeling, and applications of PET to the study of the human brain.

2020 ◽  
Vol 93 (1113) ◽  
pp. 20190740 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rong Bing ◽  
Krithika Loganath ◽  
Philip Adamson ◽  
David Newby ◽  
Alastair Moss

Despite recent advances, cardiovascular disease remains the leading cause of death globally. As such, there is a need to optimise our current diagnostic and risk stratification pathways in order to better deliver individualised preventative therapies. Non-invasive imaging of coronary artery plaque can interrogate multiple aspects of coronary atherosclerotic disease, including plaque morphology, anatomy and flow. More recently, disease activity is being assessed to provide mechanistic insights into in vivo atherosclerosis biology. Molecular imaging using positron emission tomography is unique in this field, with the potential to identify specific biological processes using either bespoke or re-purposed radiotracers. This review provides an overview of non-invasive vulnerable plaque detection and molecular imaging of coronary atherosclerosis.


2015 ◽  
Vol 35 (11) ◽  
pp. 1827-1835 ◽  
Author(s):  
Isabelle Boileau ◽  
Pablo M Rusjan ◽  
Belinda Williams ◽  
Esmaeil Mansouri ◽  
Romina Mizrahi ◽  
...  

Positron emission tomography with [11C]CURB was recently developed to quantify fatty acid amide hydrolase (FAAH), the enzyme responsible for hydrolyzing the endocannabinoid anandamide. This study investigated the test–retest reliability of [11C]CURB as well as its in vivo specificity and the validity of the kinetic model by using the highly specific FAAH inhibitor, PF-04457845. Five healthy volunteers completed test–retest [11C]CURB scans 1 to 2 months apart and six subjects completed baseline and blocking scans on the same day after PF-04457845 (p.o.) administration (1, 4, or 20 mg; n = 2 each). The composite parameter γ k3 (an index of FAAH activity, γ = K1/ k2) was estimated using an irreversible two-tissue compartment model with plasma input function. There were no clinically observable responses to oral PF-04457845 or [11C]CURB injection. Oral administration of PF-04457845 reduced [11C]CURB binding to a homogeneous level at all three doses, with γ k3 values decreased by ≥91%. Excellent reproducibility and good reliability (test–retest variability = 9%; intraclass correlation coefficient = 0.79) were observed across all regions of interest investigated. Our findings suggest that γ k3/[11C]CURB is a reliable, highly sensitive, and selective tool to measure FAAH activity in human brain in vivo. Moreover, PF-04457845 is a highly potent FAAH inhibitor (>95% inhibition at 1 mg) in living human brain.


1988 ◽  
Vol 515 (1 Central Deter) ◽  
pp. 203-214 ◽  
Author(s):  
DEAN F. WONG ◽  
EMMANUEL P. BROUSSOLLE ◽  
GARY WAND ◽  
VICTOR VILLEMAGNE ◽  
ROBERT F. DANNALS ◽  
...  

1992 ◽  
Vol 137 (2) ◽  
pp. 145-148 ◽  
Author(s):  
Kazuhiko Yanai ◽  
Takehiko Watanabe ◽  
Hiroyuki Yokoyama ◽  
Kenichi Meguro ◽  
Jun Hatazawa ◽  
...  

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