title: PET tracer technology for monitoring focal epilepsies.
abstract: Studies using positron emission tomography (PET) have advanced our pathophysiological and biochemical understanding of focal and generalized epilepsies. H(2) (15)O PET allows quantification of cerebral blood flow and (18)F-fluorodeoxyglucose-PET quantification of cerebral glucose metabolism. Neurotransmitters are directly responsible for modulating synaptic activity and newer PET tracers can provide information about synaptic activity and specific ligand-receptor relationships, which are important for epileptogenesis and the spread of epileptic activity.
authors.affiliation: National Hospital for Neurology and Neurosurgery, Queen Square, London, UK. mkoepp@ion.ucl.ac.uk
authors.forename: Matthias J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Koepp
mesh_terms: D001921:Brain / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D004828:Epilepsies, Partial / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18; D007089:Image Enhancement / Q000379:methods*; D010104:Oxygen Radioisotopes; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography / Q000379:methods*; D011868:Radioisotopes; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D014867:Water
chemical_list: D010104:Oxygen Radioisotopes; D011868:Radioisotopes; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D014867:Water; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18