Classics in Neuroimaging: Imaging the Cholinergic System with Positron Emission Tomography

Area of Science:

• Nuclear medicine
• Radiopharmaceutical sciences
• Neuroimaging

Background:

• Interest in imaging the cholinergic system using PET and SPECT dates back to early nuclear medicine.
• The cholinergic system plays a crucial role in various neurological functions and diseases.

Purpose of the Study:

• To highlight key milestones in the development of cholinergic imaging agents.
• To provide an overview of the current state-of-the-art in cholinergic PET imaging.

Main Methods:

• Review of historical developments in radiopharmaceuticals targeting cholinergic receptors, transporters, and enzymes.
• Discussion of fundamental advances in radiopharmaceutical sciences enabling clinical translation.
• Overview of current PET radiotracers in human studies.

Main Results:

• Identification of various radiopharmaceuticals targeting components of the cholinergic synapse.
• Significant progress in radiopharmaceutical sciences, including cyclotron targetry and radiochemistry.
• Several promising cholinergic PET imaging agents are currently undergoing human studies worldwide.

Conclusions:

• Development of cholinergic imaging agents has progressed significantly, enabling detailed study of the cholinergic system.
• PET and SPECT imaging are powerful tools for quantifying cholinergic neurotransmission in vivo.
• Ongoing research continues to refine and expand the utility of cholinergic imaging in clinical settings.