In vivo binding of [11C]Ro15-4513 in human brain measured with PET

Ro15-4513, an azide derivative of benzodiazepine antagonist flumazenil (Ro15-1788), and Ro15-1788 were labelled with carbon 11. Sequential PET scans following injection of [11C]Ro15-4513 or [11C]Ro15-1788 into normal male healthy volunteers were measured, and kinetic analysis using pons as a reference region was performed. [11C]Ro15-4513 was highly accumulated in frontal cortex, temporal cortex, hippocampus and relatively lower accumulation in occipital cortex, whereas almost homogeneous distribution of Ro15-1788 throughout cortex area was seen. The kinetic analysis revealed that such differences of regional distribution in brain between two labelled ligands were mainly due to the regional difference of the dissociation rate constants in vivo (k4). [11C]Ro15-4513 may be a useful tool for the in vivo study of benzodiazepine receptors in human brain.