title: In-vivo quantitative imaging of catecholaminergic nerve terminals in brain and peripheral organs using positron emission tomography (PET).
abstract: Positron emission tomography (PET), has made possible quantitative imaging of the origins of positron-emitting isotopes, such as 11C and 18F, in intact animals and in humans. Lack of absolute specificity of enzymes, storage mechanisms and transporters allows 11C-or 18F-labelled "false transmitters" to be formed, stored and released from nerve terminals. Discussed are the assumptions, limitations, and advantages of 18F-6-fluoroDOPA, 18F-6-fluorodopamine, 18F-6-fluorometaraminol, and 11C-N-methyl-metaraminol (m-hydroxyephedrine) for PET imaging of dopaminergic nerve terminals in brain or sympathetic innervation in peripheral organs.
authors.affiliation: NINDS, NIH, Bethesda, Md.
authors.forename: I J
authors.initials: IJ
authors.lastname: Kopin
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D002395:Catecholamines / Q000502:physiology*; D006801:Humans; D009411:Nerve Endings / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D010525:Peripheral Nerves / Q000648:ultrastructure*; D014055:Tomography, Emission-Computed
chemical_list: D002395:Catecholamines