RT Journal Article SR Electronic T1 Performing Repeated Quantitative Small-Animal PET with an Arterial Input Function Is Routinely Feasible in Rats JF Journal of Nuclear Medicine JO J Nucl Med FD Society of Nuclear Medicine SP 611 OP 616 DO 10.2967/jnumed.116.182402 VO 58 IS 4 A1 Chi-Cheng Huang A1 Chun-Hu Wu A1 Ya-Yao Huang A1 Kai-Yuan Tzen A1 Szu-Fu Chen A1 Miao-Ling Tsai A1 Hsiao-Ming Wu YR 2017 UL http://jnm.snmjournals.org/content/58/4/611.abstract AB Performing quantitative small-animal PET with an arterial input function has been considered technically challenging. Here, we introduce a catheterization procedure that keeps a rat physiologically stable for 1.5 mo. We demonstrated the feasibility of quantitative small-animal 18F-FDG PET in rats by performing it repeatedly to monitor the time course of variations in the cerebral metabolic rate of glucose (CMRglc). Methods: Aseptic surgery was performed on 2 rats. Each rat underwent catheterization of the right femoral artery and left femoral vein. The catheters were sealed with microinjection ports and then implanted subcutaneously. Over the next 3 wk, each rat underwent 18F-FDG quantitative small-animal PET 6 times. The CMRglc of each brain region was calculated using a 3-compartment model and an operational equation that included a k*4. Results: On 6 mornings, we completed 12 18F-FDG quantitative small-animal PET studies on 2 rats. The rats grew steadily before and after the 6 quantitative small-animal PET studies. The CMRglc of the conscious brain (e.g., right parietal region, 99.6 ± 10.2 μmol/100 g/min; n = 6) was comparable to that for 14C-deoxyglucose autoradiographic methods. Conclusion: Maintaining good blood patency in catheterized rats is not difficult. Longitudinal quantitative small-animal PET imaging with an arterial input function can be performed routinely.