Volume-of-interest-based supervised cluster analysis for pseudo-reference region selection in [F]DPA-714 PET imaging of the rat brain.

Method: Aim of this study was to automatically select a suitable pseudo-reference brain region for the accurate, non-invasive quantification of neuroinflammation in a rat brain using dynamic [F]DPA-714 PET imaging.

Procedures: A supervised clustering analysis approach considering three kinetic classes (SVCA3) was used to select an appropriate pseudo-reference brain region. This pseudo-reference region was determined by selecting only brain regions with low specific tracer uptake (SVCA3) or by taking into account all brain regions and weighting each brain region with the corresponding fraction of low specific binding (SVCA3).