Microglial activation, tau and amyloid deposition in TREM2 p.R47H carriers and mild cognitive impairment patients: a multi-modal/multi-tracer PET/MRI imaging study with influenza vaccine immune challenge.

Background: Microglia are increasingly understood to play an important role in the pathogenesis of Alzheimer's disease. The rs75932628 (p.R47H) TREM2 variant is a well-established risk factor for Alzheimer's disease.

Resolving the cellular specificity of TSPO imaging in a rat model of peripherally-induced neuroinflammation.

The increased expression of 18 kDa Translocator protein (TSPO) is one of the few available biomarkers of neuroinflammation that can be assessed in humans in vivo by positron emission tomography (PET). TSPO PET imaging of the central nervous system (CNS) has been widely undertaken, but to date no clear consensus has been reached about its utility in brain disorders. One reason for this could be because the interpretation of TSPO PET signal remains challenging, given the cellular heterogeneity and ubiquity of TSPO in the brain.

Hyperpolarised C MRI: a new horizon for non-invasive diagnosis of aggressive breast cancer.

Hyperpolarised C MRI (HP-MRI) is a novel imaging technique that allows real-time analysis of metabolic pathways . The technology to conduct HP-MRI in humans has recently become available and is starting to be clinically applied. As knowledge of molecular biology advances, it is increasingly apparent that cancer cell metabolism is related to disease outcomes, with lactate attracting specific attention.

First-in-human non-invasive assessment of intra-tumoral metabolic heterogeneity in renal cell carcinoma.

Intratumoral genetic heterogeneity and the role of metabolic reprogramming in renal cell carcinoma (RCC) have been extensively documented. However, the distribution of these metabolic changes within the tissue has not been explored. We report on the first-in-human non-invasive metabolic interrogation of RCC using hyperpolarized carbon-13 (C) magnetic resonance imaging (HP-MRI) and describe the validation of lactate metabolic heterogeneity against multi-regional mass spectrometry.

Synthesis, in Vitro Evaluation, and Radiolabeling of Fluorinated Puromycin Analogues: Potential Candidates for PET Imaging of Protein Synthesis.

There is currently no ideal radiotracer for imaging of protein synthesis rate (PSR) by positron emission tomography (PET). Existing fluorine-18-labeled amino acid-based radiotracers predominantly visualize amino acid transporter processes, and in many cases they are not incorporated into nascent proteins at all. Others are radiolabeled with the short-half-life positron emitter carbon-11, which is rather impractical for many PET centers.

[(18)F]FDG-6-P as a novel in vivo tool for imaging staphylococcal infections.

Background: Management of infection is a major clinical problem. Staphylococcus aureus is a Gram-positive bacterium which colonises approximately one third of the adult human population. Staphylococcal infections can be life-threatening and are frequently complicated by multi-antibiotic resistant strains including methicillin-resistant S.

Preclinical SPECT/CT imaging of αvβ6 integrins for molecular stratification of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis.

Unlabelled: Transforming growth factor β activation by the αvβ6 integrin is central to the pathogenesis of idiopathic pulmonary fibrosis. Expression of the αvβ6 integrin is increased in fibrotic lung tissue and is a promising therapeutic target for treatment of the disease. Currently, measurement of αvβ6 integrin levels in the lung requires immunohistochemical analysis of biopsy samples.

Automated GMP synthesis of [(18)F]ICMT-11 for in vivo imaging of caspase-3 activity.

Introduction: Isatin-5-sulfonamide ([(18)F]ICMT-11) is a sub-nanomolar inhibitor of caspase-3 previously evaluated as an apoptosis imaging agent. Herein, an alternative radiosynthesis of [(18)F]ICMT-11 with increased purity and specific activity is presented. Finally, a GMP-applicable automated radiosynthesis of [(18)F]ICMT-11 is described.

Evaluation of deuterated 18F- and 11C-labeled choline analogs for cancer detection by positron emission tomography.

Purpose: (11)C-Choline-positron emission tomography (PET) has been exploited to detect the aberrant choline metabolism in tumors. Radiolabeled choline uptake within the imaging time is primarily a function of transport, phosphorylation, and oxidation. Rapid choline oxidation, however, complicates interpretation of PET data.