Changes of “brain-GI” interplay in Parkinson’s disease: a pilot study of dynamic total-body [11C]CFT PET/CT and kinetic modeling

Abstract

Purpose: Parkinson’s disease (PD) is a neurodegenerative disease characterized by progressive loss of dopaminergic neurons in the brain. To achieve better explorations of dopamine changes both centrally and peripherally, we employed uEXPLORER dynamic [11C]CFT PET/CT imaging combined with voxel-wise kinetic modeling. Methods: Eleven participants (five patients, PD and six healthy volunteers, HC) underwent 75-min dynamic scans were enrolled. Volumes of interest for four nigrostriatal nuclei (caudate, putamen, pallidum and substantial nigra) and three digestive organs (pancreas, stomach and duodenum) were delineated. Total-body parametric images of relative transporter rate constant (R1) and distribution volume ratio (DVR) using the simplified reference tissue model (SRTM2) were quantitatively generated by a linear regression with spatial-constraint algorithm. Standardized uptake value ratio (SUVR) at early and late phase were calculated as the semi-quantitative substitutes. Results: Significant differences between the two groups were identified in DVR and SUVRLP of putamen (P < 0.05) and SUVREP of stomach (P < 0.01). For HC group, negative correlations of R1 were achieved between stomach and both putamen and substantial nigra (all P < 0.05); positive correlations of DVR were identified between pancreas and all four brain nuclei (all P < 0.05). Yet in PD group, correlations of R1 or DVR between the targeted digestive and brain areas were considerably diminished. Similar trends in correlations were also found in SUVR analysis. Conclusions: We introduced a pioneering approach using dynamic total-body [11C]CFT PET/CT imaging to investigate distinctive patterns of potential “brain-GI” interplays, which may provide new insights towards the understanding of PD.

Current progress and future perspectives in total‐body positron emission tomography/computed tomography. Part II: Clinical applications

“…Xin et al. [31] introduced a pioneering approach based on dynamic 11 C‐CFT TB‐PET to investigate distinctive patterns of potential “brain–gut” interplays, which may provide new insights into the etiology of Parkinson’s disease (PD).…”

“…Furthermore, its high specificity for carcinoembryonic antigen (CEA) in vivo makes it an ideal tool for selecting patients for anti-CEA therapy. Xin et al [31] introduced a pioneering approach based on dynamic 11 to investigate distinctive patterns of potential "brain-gut" interplays, which may provide new insights into the etiology of Parkinson's disease (PD).…”