title: Glucose metabolism of the midline nuclei raphe in the brainstem observed by PET-MRI fusion imaging.
abstract: The brainstem contains various important monoaminergic neuronal centers, including the raphe nuclei which contain serotonergic neurons. The raphe nuclei, however, are not easily identifiable and located by conventional neuroimaging.
  
  
  METHODS
  Fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography (PET) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) were performed in seven healthy subjects using a new PET-MRI, which consists of a high-resolution research tomograph (HRRT) PET and 7.0 T-MRI. Glucose metabolism of raphe nuclei was semiquantitatively measured and identified along the midline brainstem region in vivo.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Midline nuclei clustered in four groups appeared to be the raphe nuclei and could be clearly visualized; specifically, we identified the groups as the dorsal raphe, raphe reticularis centralis superior, raphe pontis, and raphe magnus group.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  FDG imaging of the midline raphe nuclei in vivo could potentially be an important tool for investigating brain diseases as well as conducting functional brain studies in the context of sleep disorders, depression, and neurodegenerative disease.
authors.affiliation: Neuroscience Research Institute, Gachon University of Medicine and Science, Incheon, South Korea.
authors.forename: Young-Don
authors.initials: YD
authors.lastname: Son
authors.forename: Zang-Hee
authors.initials: ZH
authors.lastname: Cho
authors.forename: Hang-Keun
authors.initials: HK
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: Eun-Jung
authors.initials: EJ
authors.lastname: Choi
authors.forename: Sang-Yoon
authors.initials: SY
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Je-Geun
authors.initials: JG
authors.lastname: Chi
authors.forename: Chan-Woong
authors.initials: CW
authors.lastname: Park
authors.forename: Young-Bo
authors.initials: YB
authors.lastname: Kim
mesh_terms: D005260:Female; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18 / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D005947:Glucose / Q000378:metabolism*; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008657:Metabolic Clearance Rate; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography / Q000379:methods*; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D011903:Raphe Nuclei / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D013382:Subtraction Technique; D014018:Tissue Distribution; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18; D005947:Glucose