Biomedical Applications of Emission Tomography - Correction Techniques in Emission Tomography - page 22

FIGURE 2.4: (A): Intestinal graft-versus-host disease (GvHD+) in mice
after stem cell transplantation is associated with increased local glucose
metabolism in the colon (gray arrow) as assessed by [ 18 F]FDG-PET, whereas
intestinal [ 18 F]FDG uptake was found physiological in the control group
(GvHD-). (B): The same pattern of intestinal [ 18 F]FDG uptake of the mouse
model was also seen in patients. Independent of symptoms GvHD-positive
patients exhibited a strong intestinal [ 18 F]FDG uptake as compared to gvHD-
negative patients with physiological [ 18 F]FDG uptake of the bowel. Modified
from [26].

emphasizes the need for common quantification strategies between preclinical
and clinical imaging.

2.4.3.4 PET to quantify catecholamine recycling and receptor

density in patients with arrhythmias

Although less established in clinical practice than perfusion imaging, exam-
ination of the cardiac autonomous nervous system is of potential value. This
may apply especially to arrhythmogenic diseases not associated with func-
tional and anatomic changes detectable by conventional imaging and may also
be useful in ischemic heart disease where aberrations in autonomous nervous
function may be a relevant parameter.
Both pre- and postsynaptic function of the sympathetic and parasympa-
thetic nervous system are accessible by radiopharmaceutical techniques. At
present, the sympathetic arm has received most attention. The investigation
of the presynaptic function (catecholamine release and recycling) of sympa-
thetic innervation by the SPECT radiotracer [ 123 I]-meta-iodobenzylguanidine
or the PET radiotracer [ 11 C]-meta-hydroxyephedrine ([ 11 C]HED) has led to