Back to the future: The absolute quantification of cerebral metabolic rate of glucose

Abstract

Quantitative maps of the cerebral metabolic rate of glucose (CMRGlc) derived from 2-18F-fluoro-2-deoxy-d-glucose (18F-FDG) positron emission tomography (PET) images are useful in brain studies, but practical methods are needed to allow their use in clinical routine. This review looks at the kinetic model at the basis of absolute quantification of CMRGlc and at the main methods for measuring CMRGlc using 18F-FDG PET, also focusing on some critical steps in the procedure. © 2013 Italian Association of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging.