Table 1 Positron emission tomography techniques

¹⁸F-DOPA PET

Aromatic amino acid decarboxylase (AADC)

Provides measures of AADC activity and allows an indirect measure of DA storage within the DA terminals.

¹¹C-raclopride PET

Post-synaptic DA D2 receptors

Is a subject to competitive displacement by endogenous DA. Acute administration of substances such as amphetamine, methylphenidate, or L-DOPA, which are known to increase the levels of extracellular DA result in a reduction of ¹¹C-raclopride binding.

H₂ ¹⁵O PET

Regional cerebral blood flow (rCBF)

Brain activation and regional cerebral metabolism.

⁷⁶Br-FE-CBT PET

Dopamine transporter (DAT)

Marker of presynaptic DA terminals integrity and DAT availability

¹²³I-IPT SPECT

DAT

Marker of presynaptic DA terminals integrity and DAT availability

¹²³I-FP-CIT SPECT

DAT

Marker of presynaptic DA terminals integrity and DAT availability

¹¹C-PK11195 PET

Translocator protein (TSPO)

Is an 18 kDa protein of the outer mitochondrial membrane that is upregulated with activation of microglia

¹¹C-DASB PET

5-HT transporter (SERT)

Marker of presynaptic 5-HT terminals integrity and SERT availability

¹¹C-dihydrotetrabenazine (DTBZ) PET

Vesicular monoamine transporter (VMAT2)

Marker of presynaptic monoaminergic terminals integrity