Image-Derived Input Function for Brain PET Studies: Many Challenges and Few Opportunities

• Published in: Journal of cerebral blood flow and metabolism Vol. 31; no. 10; pp. 1986 - 1998
• Main Authors: Zanotti-Fregonara, Paolo, Chen, Kewei, Liow, Jeih-San, Fujita, Masahiro, Innis, Robert B
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: London, England SAGE Publications 01.10.2011; Nature Publishing Group; Sage Publications Ltd
• Subjects: Biological and medical sciences; Brain - diagnostic imaging; Humans; Medical sciences; Neurology; Neuropharmacology; Neuroprotective agent; Pharmacology. Drug treatments; Positron-Emission Tomography - methods; Radiography; Review; Vascular diseases and vascular malformations of the nervous system; neuroreceptor tracers; image-derived input function; PET; kinetic modeling; Nervous system diseases; Modeling; Cerebral disorder; Encephalon; Central nervous system disease; Positron emission tomography; Cerebrovascular disease; Emission tomography; Tracers
• ISSN: 0271-678X; 1559-7016; 1559-7016
• DOI: 10.1038/jcbfm.2011.107

Quantitative positron emission tomography (PET) brain studies often require that the input function be measured, typically via arterial cannulation. Image-derived input function (IDIF) is an elegant and attractive noninvasive alternative to arterial sampling. However, IDIF is also a very challenging technique associated with several problems that must be overcome before it can be successfully implemented in clinical practice. As a result, IDIF is rarely used as a tool to reduce invasiveness in patients. The aim of the present review was to identify the methodological problems that hinder widespread use of IDIF in PET brain studies. We conclude that IDIF can be successfully implemented only with a minority of PET tracers. Even in those cases, it only rarely translates into a less-invasive procedure for the patient. Finally, we discuss some possible alternative methods for obtaining less-invasive input function.