Receptor autoradiography with 11C and [3H]-labelled ligands visualized by imaging plates

The distribution of histamine H1, H3, dopamine D1 and D2 receptors in the brain was studied by receptor autoradiography using a high-sensitivity and high-resolution imaging plate system. [3H]Pyrilamine, [3H](R)alpha-methyl-histamine, [11C]SCH23390, and [11C]N-methylspiperone (or [11C]YM-09151-2) were used as ligands to identify H1, H3, D1 and D2 receptors, respectively. Two different receptors (dopamine D2 and histamine H3) could be also labelled simultaneously in a single cryostat-sliced section using [11C]N-methylspiperone and [3H](R)alpha-methylhistamine, respectively. The imaging plate system is useful for receptor autoradiography of positron emitter-labelled and tritium-labelled receptor-ligands because of its high sensitivity.