RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Comparison of <sup>11</sup>C-Pittsburgh Compound B and <sup>18</sup>F-Flutemetamol White Matter Binding in PET
JF Journal of Nuclear Medicine
JO J Nucl Med
FD Society of Nuclear Medicine
SP 1239
OP 1244
DO 10.2967/jnumed.121.263281
VO 63
IS 8
A1 Burcu Zeydan
A1 Christopher G. Schwarz
A1 Scott A. Przybelski
A1 Timothy G. Lesnick
A1 Walter K. Kremers
A1 Matthew L. Senjem
A1 Orhun H. Kantarci
A1 Paul H. Min
A1 Bradley J. Kemp
A1 Clifford R. Jack, Jr.
A1 Kejal Kantarci
A1 Val J. Lowe
YR 2022
UL http://jnm.snmjournals.org/content/63/8/1239.abstract
AB PET imaging with β-amyloid ligands is emerging as a molecular imaging technique targeting white matter integrity and demyelination. β-amyloid PET ligands such as 11C-Pittsburgh compound B (11C-PiB) have been considered for quantitative measurement of myelin content changes in multiple sclerosis, but 11C-PiB is not commercially available given its short half-life. A 18F PET ligand such as flutemetamol with a longer half-life may be an alternative, but its ability to differentiate white matter hyperintensities (WMH) from normal-appearing white matter (NAWM) and its relationship with age remains to be investigated. Methods: Cognitively unimpaired (CU) older and younger adults (n = 61) were recruited from the community responding to a study advertisement for β-amyloid PET. Participants prospectively underwent MRI, 11C-PiB, and 18F-flutemetamol PET scans. MRI fluid-attenuated inversion recovery images were segmented into WMH and NAWM and registered to the T1-weighted MRI. 11C-PiB and 18F-flutemetamol PET images were also registered to the T1-weighted MRI. 11C-PiB and 18F-flutemetamol SUV ratios (SUVrs) from the WMH and NAWM were calculated using cerebellar crus uptake as a reference for both 11C-PiB and 18F-flutemetamol. Results: The median age was 38 y (range, 30–48 y) in younger adults and 67 y (range, 61–83 y) in older adults. WMH and NAWM SUVrs were higher with 18F-flutemetamol than with 11C-PiB in both older (P &lt; 0.001) and younger (P &lt; 0.001) CU adults. 11C-PiB and 18F-flutemetamol SUVrs were higher in older than in younger CU adults in both WMH (P &lt; 0.001) and NAWM (P &lt; 0.001). 11C-PiB and 18F-flutemetamol SUVrs were higher in NAWM than WMH in both older (P &lt; 0.001) and younger (P &lt; 0.001) CU adults. There was no apparent difference between 11C-PiB and 18F-flutemetamol SUVrs in differentiating WMH from NAWM in older and in younger adults. Conclusion: 11C-PiB and 18F-flutemetamol show a similar topographic pattern of uptake in white matter with a similar association with age in WMH and NAWM. 11C-PiB and 18F-flutemetamol can also effectively distinguish between WMH and NAWM. However, given its longer half-life, commercial availability, and higher binding potential, 18F-flutemetamol can be an alternative to 11C-PiB in molecular imaging studies specifically targeting multiple sclerosis to evaluate white matter integrity.