Quantification of PET Studies

Excerpt

Positron emission tomography (PET) is a unique molecular imaging modality, which allows for non-invasive in vivo assessments of regional tissue function in man.1 It represents the most selective and sensitive (pico- to nano-molar range) method for measuring molecular pathways and interactions in vivo.2 A multitude of physiological, biochemical, and pharmacological parameters can be measured, including blood flow (perfusion), blood volume (vascularity), oxygen utilization, glucose metabolism, pre- and post-synaptic receptor density and affinity, neurotransmitter release, enzyme activity, drug delivery and uptake, gene expression, etc. Within cardiology the method has mainly been used for assessing myocardial blood flow (MBF) and glucose metabolism (MMRglu). In fact, the so-called MBF/MMRglu match/mismatch approach3 probably was the first diagnostic application of PET and for many years has been the gold standard for assessing myocardial viability. Apart from its use in diagnostic imaging, PET has the capacity to provide new information on human disease, for example by using novel radiotracers. In recent years, PET plays an increasing role in the objective assessment of both progression of disease and therapeutic efficacy.4 At present, the latter application has found its way in the development of new drugs, but at the same time there is an enormous potential to use PET as a guiding tool in precision medicine. …