title: Quantitative in vivo measurement of central benzodiazepine receptors in the brain of cats by use of positron-emission tomography and [11C]flumazenil.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To map central benzodiazepine receptors (BZRs) in the brain of cats by use of positron-emission tomography (PET) and [11C]flumazenil.
  
  
  METHODS
  6 male cats that weighed between 2.0 and 3.6 kg.
  
  
  METHODS
  Brain images obtained by PET evaluation of [11C]flumazenil were superimposed on T2-weighted magnetic-resonance imaging (MRI) scans of the same cats. Detailed anatomic regions, such as the cerebral cortex, striatum, thalamus, midbrain, and cerebellum, on the PET images were evident by PET-MRI registration. Regional binding of [11C]flumazenil to BZRs was quantitatively measured by use of a model with 2 tissue compartments and 4 variables.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The highest value for distribution volume was observed in the cerebral cortex, and the lowest value was found in the midbrain of cats.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Binding of [11C]flumazenil to BZRs in the brain of cats can be quantitatively measured by use of PET with the aid of PET-MRI registration. It is difficult to diagnose changes in these neuroreceptors within the field of current veterinary science. In the future, PET should prove useful for investigating and diagnosing brain disorders in animals in clinical settings.
authors.affiliation: Positron Medical Center, Tokyo Metropolitan Institute of Gerontology, 1-1 Naka-cho, Itabashi-ku, Tokyo 172-0022, Japan.
authors.forename: Yuhei
authors.initials: Y
authors.lastname: Shimada
authors.forename: Motohiro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kiyosawa
authors.forename: Tadashi
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Nariai
authors.forename: Keiichi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Oda
authors.forename: Hinako
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Toyama
authors.forename: Kenichirou
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ono
authors.forename: Michio
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Senda
authors.forename: Kiichi
authors.initials: K
authors.lastname: Ishiwata
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000378:metabolism*; D001923:Brain Chemistry; D002250:Carbon Radioisotopes; D002415:Cats / Q000378:metabolism*; D005442:Flumazenil / Q000378:metabolism*; D018757:GABA Modulators / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D011963:Receptors, GABA-A / Q000032:analysis / Q000378:metabolism*; D014055:Tomography, Emission-Computed / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D002250:Carbon Radioisotopes; D018757:GABA Modulators; D011963:Receptors, GABA-A; D005442:Flumazenil