Final Report 2007: DOE-FG02-87ER60561

This project involved a multi-faceted approach to the improvement of techniques used in Positron Emission Tomography (PET), from radiochemistry to image processing and data analysis. New methods for radiochemical syntheses were examined, new radiochemicals prepared for evaluation and eventual use in human PET studies, and new pre-clinical methods examined for validation of biochemical parameters in animal studies. The value of small animal PET imaging in measuring small changes of in vivo biochemistry was examined and directly compared to traditional tissue sampling techniques. In human imaging studies, the ability to perform single experimental sessions utilizing two overlapping injections of radiopharmaceuticals was tested, and it was shown that valid biochemical measures for both radiotracers can be obtained through careful pharmacokinetic modeling of the PET emission data. Finally, improvements in reconstruction algorithms for PET data from small animal PET scanners was realized and these have been implemented in commercial releases. Together, the project represented an integrated effort to improve and extend all basic science aspects of PET imaging at both the animal and human level.