Chapter 13: Radiopharmaceuticals for Imaging and Therapy in Neurology Check Access

Understanding the complex physiological network of our central nervous system and its role in specific neuropathological diseases still remains a significant challenge in the domain of clinical functional imaging of the brain. Functional imaging of the brain is still evolving and developing. This chapter covers the functional imaging of the brain through positron emission tomography (PET)- and single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT)-based tracers in aiding diagnosis of various neurological disorders as well as recent therapeutic nuclear medicine procedures in the neurological domain. SPECT and PET imaging are nuclear medicine techniques based on various radiopharmaceuticals which target specific functional receptors or specific molecular pathways in the brain. The field of functional neuroimaging is an ever evolving and rapidly developing branch, with the advent of many new radiotracers targeting various neuro-receptors or metabolites in the brain. The field is rapidly advancing with development of newer research-based radiopharmaceuticals targeting specific molecular pathways as well as newer theranostic approaches, which have the potential to change functional imaging and therapy in clinical neurology.