Featured Publications
Imaging synaptic density in the living human brain
Finnema SJ, Nabulsi NB, Eid T, Detyniecki K, Lin SF, Chen MK, Dhaher R, Matuskey D, Baum E, Holden D, Spencer DD, Mercier J, Hannestad J, Huang Y, Carson RE. Imaging synaptic density in the living human brain. Science Translational Medicine 2016, 8: 348ra96. PMID: 27440727, DOI: 10.1126/scitranslmed.aaf6667.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsSynaptic densityPositron emission tomographyPET imagingSynaptic vesicle glycoprotein 2ATemporal lobe epilepsyNumerous brain disordersCentral nervous systemNumber of synapsesJ PET imagingHuman brainHuman PET studiesPredominant neuronsSurgical resectionSynaptic lossLobe epilepsyPsychiatric disordersNervous systemBrain disordersPresynaptic boutonsAlzheimer's diseaseBrain tissueEmission tomographyNeuron contactsTherapeutic monitoringPET studiesFirst-in-Human Evaluation of 18F-SynVesT-1, a Radioligand for PET Imaging of Synaptic Vesicle Glycoprotein 2A
Naganawa M, Li S, Nabulsi N, Henry S, Zheng MQ, Pracitto R, Cai Z, Gao H, Kapinos M, Labaree D, Matuskey D, Huang Y, Carson RE. First-in-Human Evaluation of 18F-SynVesT-1, a Radioligand for PET Imaging of Synaptic Vesicle Glycoprotein 2A. Journal Of Nuclear Medicine 2020, 62: 561-567. PMID: 32859701, PMCID: PMC8049363, DOI: 10.2967/jnumed.120.249144.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsC-UCBSynaptic densityRegional time-activity curvesTime-activity curvesDistribution volumeMetabolite-corrected arterial input functionPET imagingMultilinear analysis 1Synaptic vesicle glycoprotein 2AAntiepileptic drug levetiracetamTotal distribution volumeNondisplaceable distribution volumeCentrum semiovaleBlocking doseHealthy volunteersHuman studiesDrug levetiracetamLassen plotNeuropsychiatric disordersPET radioligandArterial input functionNonhuman primatesLevetiracetamReference regionRadioligand
2024
Large human cohort study of markerless head motion tracking for brain PET
Zeng T, Zhang J, Gallezot J, Fontaine K, Gravel P, Jiang W, Mulnix T, Yang Z, Zhang X, Hu L, Carson R. Large human cohort study of markerless head motion tracking for brain PET. 2024, 00: 1-2. DOI: 10.1109/nss/mic/rtsd57108.2024.10656091.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchPost-reconstruction registrationEvent-by-eventBrain PET imagingMotion correction techniqueQuantitative PET imagingPET imagingBrain PETHead motionTime activity curvesStudy of brain functionImage qualityMotion tracking systemGray matter regionsCorrection techniqueMotionHuman cohort studiesAverage SUVPET measurementsMotion blurMatter regionsSuperior performanceTracking systemPolarisHigh-resolution brain phantom data, with flexible contrast: Validation on the NeuroExplorer (NX)
Gravel P, Toyonaga T, Gallezot J, Fontaine K, Martins S, Mulnix T, Carson R. High-resolution brain phantom data, with flexible contrast: Validation on the NeuroExplorer (NX). 2024, 00: 1-1. DOI: 10.1109/nss/mic/rtsd57108.2024.10656366.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchQuantitative accuracyPhantom dataSpatial resolutionIterative reconstruction algorithmListmode dataAttenuation correctionPhantom studyPhantomResolution measurementsAttenuation propertiesReconstructed imagesReconstruction algorithmPET imagingCorrection accuracyResolutionScatteringAxial directionAttenuationContrastCorrectionAdaptive Deep Image Prior Enhances Ultra-Low Dose PET Imaging with NeuroEXPLORER
Li A, Gravel P, Gallezot J, Toyonaga T, Fontaine K, Carson R, Tang J. Adaptive Deep Image Prior Enhances Ultra-Low Dose PET Imaging with NeuroEXPLORER. 2024, 00: 1-1. DOI: 10.1109/nss/mic/rtsd57108.2024.10657691.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchContrast recovery coefficientCounting imagingLearning-based denoising methodsHead motion correctionDeep Image PriorLow-dose imagesOptimal stopping iterationsDose imagesAttenuation mapBrain phantomDeep imagingFull-count dataImage priorsMotion correctionSignal-to-noise ratioDenoising methodSequence of outputsTraining dataPET imagingStopping iterationDecreased signal-to-noise ratioNoise ratioPost-processing techniquesReconstructed imagesRecovery coefficientGeneration of Synthetic brain PET images of synaptic density from MRI and FDG-PET using a Multi-stage U-Net
Zheng X, Worhunsky P, Liu Q, Zhou B, Chen X, Guo X, Xie H, Sun H, Zhang J, Toyonaga T, Mecca A, O’Dell R, van Dyck C, Carson R, Radhakrishnan R, Liu C. Generation of Synthetic brain PET images of synaptic density from MRI and FDG-PET using a Multi-stage U-Net. 2024, 00: 1-2. DOI: 10.1109/nss/mic/rtsd57108.2024.10655600.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchFirst-in-Human Study of 18F-SynVesT-2: An SV2A PET Imaging Probe with Fast Brain Kinetics and High Specific Binding
Drake L, Wu Y, Naganawa M, Asch R, Zheng C, Najafzadeh S, Pracitto R, Lindemann M, Li S, Ropchan J, Labaree D, Emery P, Dias M, Henry S, Nabulsi N, Matuskey D, Hillmer A, Gallezot J, Carson R, Cai Z, Huang Y. First-in-Human Study of 18F-SynVesT-2: An SV2A PET Imaging Probe with Fast Brain Kinetics and High Specific Binding. Journal Of Nuclear Medicine 2024, 65: jnumed.123.266470. PMID: 38360052, PMCID: PMC10924160, DOI: 10.2967/jnumed.123.266470.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchFirst-in-human studyPlasma free fractionTime-activity curvesCentrum semiovaleNonhuman primate's resultsFirst-in-humanFree fractionNondisplaceable binding potentialRegional time-activity curvesLow nonspecific uptakeRegional distribution volumesHigh-resolution research tomograph scannerTest-retest reproducibilityCerebral blood flowSynaptic vesicle glycoprotein 2AHealthy volunteersArterial input functionNonspecific uptakePET imaging probeDistribution volumeSynapse densityIndividual MR imagesHighest specific bindingMR imagingPET imaging
2023
Intrathecal delivery of nanoparticle PARP inhibitor to the cerebrospinal fluid for the treatment of metastatic medulloblastoma
Khang M, Lee J, Lee T, Suh H, Lee S, Cavaliere A, Rushing A, Geraldo L, Belitzky E, Rossano S, de Feyter H, Shin K, Huttner A, Roussel M, Thomas J, Carson R, Marquez-Nostra B, Bindra R, Saltzman W. Intrathecal delivery of nanoparticle PARP inhibitor to the cerebrospinal fluid for the treatment of metastatic medulloblastoma. Science Translational Medicine 2023, 15: eadi1617. PMID: 37910601, PMCID: PMC11078331, DOI: 10.1126/scitranslmed.adi1617.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsCerebrospinal fluidDelivery of drugsEffective therapyTherapeutic indexPARP inhibitorsBlood-brain barrierSite of tumorRapid systemic clearanceXenograft mouse modelSolvent evaporation processAdministration of substancesLeptomeningeal spreadIntrathecal deliveryLeptomeningeal metastasesBrain penetrationSystemic clearanceTumor regressionPolymer nanoparticlesMetastatic medulloblastomaMouse modelPediatric medulloblastomaDrug accumulationCSF turnoverEncapsulated drugsPET imaging
2022
Noninvasive Quantitative PET Imaging in Humans of the Pancreatic Beta-Cell Mass Biomarkers VMAT2 and Dopamine D2/D3 Receptors In Vivo
Bini J, Carson R, Cline G. Noninvasive Quantitative PET Imaging in Humans of the Pancreatic Beta-Cell Mass Biomarkers VMAT2 and Dopamine D2/D3 Receptors In Vivo. Methods In Molecular Biology 2022, 2592: 61-74. PMID: 36507985, DOI: 10.1007/978-1-0716-2807-2_4.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsPositron emission tomographyBeta-cell massFunctional beta-cell massDopamine D2/D3 receptorsD2/D3 receptorsBeta-cell lossType 2 diabetesEfficacy of therapeuticsQuantitative positron emission tomographyInsulin secretionDopamine receptorsD3 receptorsGlucose regulationPET radioligandEmission tomographyType 1Clinical usePET imagingReceptorsQuantitative PET imagingVMAT2Cellular transportersImagingVivoQuantitative imagingA 3D atlas of functional human brain energetic connectome based on neuropil distribution
Yu Y, Akif A, Herman P, Cao M, Rothman D, Carson R, Agarwal D, Evans A, Hyder F. A 3D atlas of functional human brain energetic connectome based on neuropil distribution. Cerebral Cortex 2022, 33: 3996-4012. PMID: 36104858, PMCID: PMC10068297, DOI: 10.1093/cercor/bhac322.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsSynaptic densityCortical regionsHigher synapse densityHuman cortical circuitsFunctional imaging studiesCortical activity mapsVivo PET imagingNeuropil distributionGlucose oxidationSynapse densityCortical circuitsMetabolic rateSynaptic connectionsCortical energeticsImaging studiesHuman cortexPET imagingHistological stainingRecent evidenceCortexHuman brainBrainVoxel levelActivity ratesAtlasPET Imaging of Synaptic Density: Challenges and Opportunities of Synaptic Vesicle Glycoprotein 2A PET in Small Animal Imaging
Toyonaga T, Fesharaki-Zadeh A, Strittmatter SM, Carson RE, Cai Z. PET Imaging of Synaptic Density: Challenges and Opportunities of Synaptic Vesicle Glycoprotein 2A PET in Small Animal Imaging. Frontiers In Neuroscience 2022, 16: 787404. PMID: 35345546, PMCID: PMC8957200, DOI: 10.3389/fnins.2022.787404.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchAnimal modelsPET imaging studiesPET imagingImaging studiesSynaptic vesicle glycoprotein 2ADisease animal modelsOngoing clinical investigationsDifferent injection routesSynaptic densityClinical investigationPharmacological effectsRodent brainNovel interventionsInjection routeNeurodegenerative disordersNeuropsychiatric diseasesPET studiesBrainMultiple diseasesPET centersDiseaseInjectable volumeImagingSmaller brainsPET
2021
Comparison of [11C]UCB-J and [18F]FDG PET in Alzheimer’s disease: A tracer kinetic modeling study
Chen MK, Mecca AP, Naganawa M, Gallezot JD, Toyonaga T, Mondal J, Finnema SJ, Lin SF, O’Dell R, McDonald JW, Michalak HR, Vander Wyk B, Nabulsi NB, Huang Y, Arnsten AF, van Dyck CH, Carson RE. Comparison of [11C]UCB-J and [18F]FDG PET in Alzheimer’s disease: A tracer kinetic modeling study. Cerebrovascular And Brain Metabolism Reviews 2021, 41: 2395-2409. PMID: 33757318, PMCID: PMC8393289, DOI: 10.1177/0271678x211004312.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsSynaptic densityMedial temporal regionsAlzheimer's diseaseNeocortical regionsTemporal regionsRelative outcome measuresMedial temporal lobeVivo PET imagingJ bindingOutcome measuresTemporal lobeMagnitude of reductionCN participantsBrain regionsAD participantsDiseasePET imagingConcordant reductionNormal participantsSynaptic vesiclesPerfusionMetabolismSuitable markerParticipantsSimilar pattern
2020
Assessment of population-based input functions for Patlak imaging of whole body dynamic 18F-FDG PET
Naganawa M, Gallezot JD, Shah V, Mulnix T, Young C, Dias M, Chen MK, Smith AM, Carson RE. Assessment of population-based input functions for Patlak imaging of whole body dynamic 18F-FDG PET. EJNMMI Physics 2020, 7: 67. PMID: 33226522, PMCID: PMC7683759, DOI: 10.1186/s40658-020-00330-x.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchPopulation-based input functionImage-derived input functionInitial distribution volumeArterial input functionInjected doseBlood samplingWhole bodyStandard arterial input functionInitial plasma concentrationsArterial blood samplingOncological patientsPlasma concentrationsGold standard methodDistribution volumePET studiesPET imagingSubject heightInput functionAUCAUC valuesTest-retest dataClinical environmentLater time windowKi valuesImagingPET Imaging of Synaptic Vesicle Protein 2A
Finnema S, Li S, Cai Z, Naganawa M, Chen M, Matuskey D, Nabulsi N, Esterlis I, Holmes S, Radhakrishnan R, Toyonaga T, Huang Y, Carson R. PET Imaging of Synaptic Vesicle Protein 2A. 2020, 993-1019. DOI: 10.1007/978-3-030-53176-8_29.ChaptersSynaptic vesicle protein 2APositron emission tomographyAntiepileptic drug levetiracetamInitial PET studiesPET imagingPET studiesSynaptic densityDrug levetiracetamHigh-affinity SV2A ligandsBrain regionsSynaptic density lossNeuropathological diseasesDisease-modifying therapiesLarge patient cohortMajor depressive disorderProtein 2APET imaging resultsPosttraumatic stress disorderPatient groupPatient cohortDepressive disorderClinical valueParkinson's diseaseEfficacy assessmentSynaptic vesicle proteinsPTSD is associated with neuroimmune suppression: evidence from PET imaging and postmortem transcriptomic studies
Bhatt S, Hillmer AT, Girgenti MJ, Rusowicz A, Kapinos M, Nabulsi N, Huang Y, Matuskey D, Angarita GA, Esterlis I, Davis MT, Southwick SM, Friedman MJ, Duman R, Carson R, Krystal J, Pietrzak R, Cosgrove K. PTSD is associated with neuroimmune suppression: evidence from PET imaging and postmortem transcriptomic studies. Nature Communications 2020, 11: 2360. PMID: 32398677, PMCID: PMC7217830, DOI: 10.1038/s41467-020-15930-5.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchMeSH KeywordsAcetamidesAdaptor Proteins, Signal TransducingAdultBrainCase-Control StudiesFemaleGene Expression ProfilingHealthy VolunteersHumansMaleMicrogliaMiddle AgedPositron-Emission TomographyPyridinesRadiopharmaceuticalsReceptors, GABAReceptors, Tumor Necrosis Factor, Member 14Sex FactorsStress Disorders, Post-TraumaticYoung AdultConceptsPosttraumatic stress disorderPeripheral immune activationImmune activationHigher C-reactive protein levelsC-reactive protein levelsTSPO availabilityTranslocator proteinBrain microglial activationTomography brain imagingStress-related pathophysiologyPositron emission tomography (PET) brain imagingNeuroimmune activationMicroglial activationPTSD symptom severityImmunologic regulationPostmortem studiesPTSD subgroupHealthy individualsSymptom severityTrauma exposurePTSD groupStress disorderLower relative expressionBrain imagingPET imaging
2017
Estradiol modulates neural response to conspecific and heterospecific song in female house sparrows: An in vivo positron emission tomography study
Lattin CR, Stabile FA, Carson RE. Estradiol modulates neural response to conspecific and heterospecific song in female house sparrows: An in vivo positron emission tomography study. PLOS ONE 2017, 12: e0182875. PMID: 28832614, PMCID: PMC5568339, DOI: 10.1371/journal.pone.0182875.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsPositron emission tomographyEmpty implantsNeuronal activityVivo positron emission tomography studiesPositron emission tomography studyBrain glucose metabolismEmission tomography studiesNeural responsesBrain activityNeuronal effectsEstradiol implantsImplant removalHigher estradiolHormone exposureGlucose metabolismBrain regionsEmission tomographyEstradiolTomography studyPET imagingAuditory processingImplantsFemalesAuditory perceptionConspecific songQuantification of Tumor Hypoxic Fractions Using Positron Emission Tomography with [18F]Fluoromisonidazole ([18F]FMISO) Kinetic Analysis and Invasive Oxygen Measurements
Kelada OJ, Rockwell S, Zheng MQ, Huang Y, Liu Y, Booth CJ, Decker RH, Oelfke U, Carson RE, Carlson DJ. Quantification of Tumor Hypoxic Fractions Using Positron Emission Tomography with [18F]Fluoromisonidazole ([18F]FMISO) Kinetic Analysis and Invasive Oxygen Measurements. Molecular Imaging And Biology 2017, 19: 893-902. PMID: 28409339, PMCID: PMC5640490, DOI: 10.1007/s11307-017-1083-9.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchConceptsPositron emission tomographyTumor hypoxic fractionHypoxic fractionEmission tomographyLung cancer radiotherapy patientsPO2 measurementsAbsolute tumor volumeC miceDirect pO2 measurementsBlood ratioClinical impactTumor volumeHypoxia quantificationSubcutaneous tumorsPurposeThe purposeTracer kinetic modelingRadiotherapy patientsPET imagingPatientsPO2 valuesScansPatlak modelTomographyTwo-compartmentTBR
2013
MO‐D‐141‐01: Quantification of Tumor Hypoxia Using [18F]‐Fluoromisonidazole Positron Emission Tomography and Tracer Kinetic Modeling
Kelada O, Rockwell S, Carson R, Decker R, Oelfke U, Carlson D. MO‐D‐141‐01: Quantification of Tumor Hypoxia Using [18F]‐Fluoromisonidazole Positron Emission Tomography and Tracer Kinetic Modeling. Medical Physics 2013, 40: 399-399. DOI: 10.1118/1.4815248.Peer-Reviewed Original ResearchPositron emission tomographyBlood ratioComputed tomographyFluoromisonidazole positron emission tomographyMale BALB/c miceEmission tomographyTumor hypoxiaBALB/c miceEMT-6 tumorsNon-invasive imaging methodVoxel basisTreatment failureC miceConventional tumorHypoxia quantificationHypoxic fractionAnaesthetized animalsTumorsHistologic sectionsPharmacokinetic modelPharmacokinetic modelingDynamic positron emission tomographyPET imagingHypoxic radioresistanceBetter delineation
2008
PET Imaging of serotonin transporter as a biomarker for axon damage and regeneration in spinal cord injury
Huang Y, Nabulsi N, Weinzimmer D, Fung E, Ropchan J, Labaree D, Wang X, Gould G, Frost J, Carson R, Strittmatter S. PET Imaging of serotonin transporter as a biomarker for axon damage and regeneration in spinal cord injury. NeuroImage 2008, 41: t154. DOI: 10.1016/j.neuroimage.2008.04.122.Peer-Reviewed Original Research