-Review-

Positron Emission Tomography for Brain Research

Masahiro Mishina

Department of Neurological, Nephrological and Rheumatological Science, Graduate School of Medicine, Nippon Medical School Neurological Institute, Nippon Medical School Chiba Hokusoh Hospital

Positron emission tomography (PET) is a nuclear medicine imaging technique. Through the use of various radiopharmaceuticals, PET allows in vivo imaging of regional cerebral functions, including cerebral blood flow, molecular metabolism, and receptor binding capacity. PET is useful not only for diagnosis and therapeutic planning but also for neurological science research.

J Nippon Med Sch 2008; 75: 68-76

Keywords
Parkinson's disease, Alzheimer's disease, stroke, neuroimaging

Correspondence to
Masahiro Mishina, MD, Neurological Institute, Nippon Medical School Chiba Hokusoh Hospital, 1715 Kamagari, Inba-mura, Inba-gun, Chiba 270-1694, Japan
mishina@nms.ac.jp

Received, January 18, 2008
Accepted, February 29, 2008