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PET tomographic imaging of the human heart, pancreas, and liver with nitrogen-13 derived from [13N]-L-glutamate

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Abstract

The first commercial version of the Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) positron camera was used to image the relative distributions of 13N (T 1/2=9.96min) in the human heart, pancreas, and liver after intravenous administration of [13N]-l-glutamate. The instrument was operated in two imaging modes. Conventional 2-dimensional (2-D) focal-plane images showed high concentrations of 13N in the heart and pancreas, and lower levels in the liver. Five PET tomographic transverse section (3-D) images were made through the heart and three through the pancreas. Our results suggest that further studies designed to gain an improved understanding of the biochemistry of [13N]-l-glutamate aided by PET imaging, especially with newer instrumentation, are worthy of further investigation.

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Myers, W.G., Bigler, R.E., Benua, R.S. et al. PET tomographic imaging of the human heart, pancreas, and liver with nitrogen-13 derived from [13N]-L-glutamate. Eur J Nucl Med 8, 381–384 (1983). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00253210

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00253210

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