[¹⁵O]H₂O PET: Potential or Essential for Molecular Imaging?

Area of Science:

• Medical Imaging
• Physiology
• Molecular Imaging

Background:

• Water positron emission tomography (PET) is a technique for imaging water pathways in the human body.
• It accurately measures blood flow to organs, crucial for diagnosing diseases related to perfusion and oxygenation.
• Despite its long history, water PET has not been widely adopted in clinical practice.

Purpose of the Study:

• To highlight the potential of water PET in molecular imaging.
• To suggest its prospective role in 21st-century precision medicine.
• To discuss its application in preclinical and clinical research and practice.

Main Methods:

• Review of the historical development and current status of water PET.
• Discussion of technical advances in high-sensitivity PET imaging.
• Identification of challenges hindering widespread clinical adoption.

Main Results:

• Water PET is a powerful diagnostic tool for perfusion and oxygenation-related diseases.
• Recent technical advances are accelerating the potential of water PET.
• The technique shows promise for integration into precision medicine.

Conclusions:

• Water PET has significant potential as an essential tool in molecular imaging and precision medicine.
• Further advancements and overcoming current challenges are needed for widespread clinical implementation.
• Its application spans from preclinical research to clinical practice.