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Positron Emission Tomography

Positron Emission Tomography

Positron emission tomography (PET) is a medical imaging technique involving radiopharmaceuticals — substances that emit short-lived radiation. Although the first PET scanner was introduced in 1961, it took 15 more years before radiopharmaceuticals were combined with the technique and revolutionized its potential.
One of the main requirements of a PET scan is a positron-emitting radioisotope, which is produced in a cyclotron and then attached to a substance used by the part of the body...

Imaging Studies II: Positron Emission Tomography and Scintigraphy

Imaging Studies II: Positron Emission Tomography and Scintigraphy

Positron Emission Tomography (PET) is a medical imaging technique that provides crucial insights into the body's physiological functions at a molecular level. It is an indispensable resource for diagnosing, staging, and monitoring various illnesses, notably cancer, neurological disorders, and cardiovascular conditions.
Fundamental Principles of PET

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Related Experiment Video

Updated: Mar 28, 2026

Single Synapse Indicators of Glutamate Release and Uptake in Acute Brain Slices from Normal and Huntington Mice

Single Synapse Indicators of Glutamate Release and Uptake in Acute Brain Slices from Normal and Huntington Mice

Published on: March 11, 2020

PET Imaging in Huntington's Disease.

Andreas-Antonios Roussakis, Paola Piccini

Journal of Huntington'S Disease

|December 20, 2015

Summary

Positron Emission Tomography (PET) offers new ways to study neuroinflammation and neurodegeneration in Huntington's disease (HD). Novel PET radiotracers may help track disease progression and develop targeted therapies for this fatal condition.

Area of Science:

Neuroscience
Nuclear Medicine
Medical Imaging

Background:

Huntington's disease (HD) involves early basal ganglia and cortical changes, yet pathogenesis remains unclear.
No cure exists for HD, emphasizing the need for better understanding and monitoring tools.
Positron Emission Tomography (PET) allows in vivo visualization of cellular function and molecular targets in the brain.

Purpose of the Study:

To explore the utility of PET imaging in understanding neurodegeneration and neuroinflammation in HD.
To identify novel PET targets and biomarkers for monitoring HD progression.
To assess the potential of PET in evaluating new therapeutic agents for HD.

Main Methods:

Utilizing Positron Emission Tomography (PET) for in vivo brain imaging.

Keywords:

Huntington’s disease PET TSPO cortex dopaminergic microglia putamen striatum

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Last Updated: Mar 28, 2026

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Investigating novel PET targets such as phosphodiesterase expression and activated microglia.

Employing selective PET radiotracers like 11C-IMA-107 and 11C-PBR28 for follow-up studies.

Main Results:

Previous PET studies focused on dopaminergic function, blood flow, and metabolism in HD.
Emerging research explores activated microglia and phosphodiesterase expression as PET targets in HD.
Novel radiotracers show promise for detailed pathological insights.

Conclusions:

PET imaging is crucial for studying in vivo brain function in neurodegenerative disorders like HD.
Understanding HD pathogenesis through PET can guide the development of targeted therapies.
PET follow-up studies with new radiotracers may yield prognostic biomarkers and aid in assessing drug efficacy.