title: Current status of PET imaging in Huntington's disease.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To review the developments of recent decades and the current status of PET molecular imaging in Huntington's disease (HD).
  
  
  METHODS
  A systematic review of PET studies in HD was performed. The MEDLINE, Web of Science, Cochrane and Scopus databases were searched for articles in all languages published up to 19 August 2015 using the major medical subject heading "Huntington Disease" combined with text and key words "Huntington Disease", "Neuroimaging" and "PET". Only peer-reviewed, primary research studies in HD patients and premanifest HD carriers, and studies in which clinical features were described in association with PET neuroimaging results, were included in this review. Reviews, case reports and nonhuman studies were excluded.
  
  
  RESULTS
  A total of 54 PET studies were identified and analysed in this review. Brain metabolism ([(18)F]FDG and [(15)O]H2O), presynaptic ([(18)F]fluorodopa, [(11)C]β-CIT and [(11)C]DTBZ) and postsynaptic ([(11)C]SCH22390, [(11)C]FLB457 and [(11)C]raclopride) dopaminergic function, phosphodiesterases ([(18)F]JNJ42259152, [(18)F]MNI-659 and [(11)C]IMA107), and adenosine ([(18)F]CPFPX), cannabinoid ([(18)F]MK-9470), opioid ([(11)C]diprenorphine) and GABA ([(11)C]flumazenil) receptors were evaluated as potential biomarkers for monitoring disease progression and for assessing the development and efficacy of novel disease-modifying drugs in premanifest HD carriers and HD patients. PET studies evaluating brain restoration and neuroprotection were also identified and described in detail.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Brain metabolism, postsynaptic dopaminergic function and phosphodiesterase 10A levels were proven to be powerful in assessing disease progression. However, no single technique may be currently considered an optimal biomarker and an integrative multimodal imaging approach combining different techniques should be developed for monitoring potential neuroprotective and preventive treatment in HD.
authors.affiliation: Neurodegeneration Imaging Group, Department of Basic & Clinical Neuroscience, Maurice Wohl Clinical Neuroscience Institute, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience (IoPPN), King's College London, 125 Coldharbour Lane, Camberwell, London, SE5 9NU, UK.
authors.forename: Gennaro
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Pagano
authors.affiliation: Neurodegeneration Imaging Group, Department of Basic & Clinical Neuroscience, Maurice Wohl Clinical Neuroscience Institute, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience (IoPPN), King's College London, 125 Coldharbour Lane, Camberwell, London, SE5 9NU, UK.
authors.forename: Flavia
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Niccolini
authors.affiliation: Neurodegeneration Imaging Group, Department of Basic & Clinical Neuroscience, Maurice Wohl Clinical Neuroscience Institute, Institute of Psychiatry, Psychology & Neuroscience (IoPPN), King's College London, 125 Coldharbour Lane, Camberwell, London, SE5 9NU, UK. marios.politis@kcl.ac.uk.
authors.forename: Marios
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Politis
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D001921:Brain / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000187:drug effects / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D006816:Huntington Disease / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D018696:Neuroprotective Agents / Q000494:pharmacology / Q000627:therapeutic use; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: D018696:Neuroprotective Agents
keywords: Huntington’s disease; Neurodegeneration imaging; Positron emission tomography; Premanifest Huntington’s disease gene carriers