[en] The properties of an ideal tumour-localizing agent are summarized with special reference to the use of ¹⁸F-, ¹⁵O-, ¹¹C- and ¹³N-labelled compounds. The increased number of ''medical'' cyclotrons will allow extensive research in this field. Representative examples are given of the labelling techniques and of the clinical usefulness of compounds labelled with cyclotron-produced short-lived radionuclides. (author)

[en] The development of positron emission tomography (PET) has entailed the preparation of radio-pharmaceuticals labelled with β⁺ emitting isotopes such as ¹¹C¹³N and ¹⁵O. The use of these isotopes to label molecules for biological applications has led to the development of specific synthesis methods. After considerations on the general characteristics of ¹¹C¹³N¹⁵O, on the choice of molecule to be labelled and on the labelling plan, some examples of labelled molecules are given: ¹⁵O-gas and ¹⁵O-butanol, ¹¹C-amino-acids and different ¹¹C-ligands for receptors studies, enzymatic labelling with ¹³N

[en] Until recently, the investigation of the neurophysiological correlates of normal and abnormal ageing of the human brain was limited by methodological constraints, as the technics available provided only a few parameters (e.g. electroencephalograms, cerebral blood flow) monitored in superficial brain structures in a grossly regional and poorly quantitative way. Lately several non invasive techniques have been developed which allow to investigate in vivo both quantitatively and on local basis a number of previously inaccessible important aspects of brain function. Among these techniques, such as single photon emission tomography imaging of computerized electric events, nuclear magnetic resonance, positron emission tomography stands out as the most powerful and promising method since it allows the in vivo measurement of biochemical and pharmacological parameters

[en] Neutron activation analysis can be used to measure the total bone mass or simply the calcium mass or concentration of a bone segment, for example the hand bones or vertebrae. For a number of reason, dosimetric, technological but especially physiophatological we decided to use local activation technique. In generalized demineralising one diseases, particularly osteoporosis, the calcium content variations of one segment are in fast comparable to those of another, and more generally to the mineral content variations of the whole skeleton. It is true that ideally we should measure the mineral content of the lumbar vertebrae where the metabolic activity is especially high, and where damage may occur sooner or in any case is detected earlier in osteoporosis. However neutron irradiation of the vertebrae meets with certain technical problems and may also present difficulties in the interpretation of results. Furthermore in other bone diseases, hyperparathyroidism for instance and especially renal osteodystrophy, bone mineral loss is particularly premature and pronounced in the hand and we therefore decided for the moment to use the hand for the neutron activation analysis of bone calcium. The technique enabled us to measure the calcium concentration of the hand bones in hemodialysed subjects and in patients with primitive osteoporosis

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[en] Whereas gamma tomography (single photon) provides a new and fruitful dimension to conventional nuclear medicine, tomography by positrons makes possible a novel approach to the in-vivo analysis of fundamental and biological processes. The main object of both is the cross sectional representation of the distribution of a radioactive marker injected into the organism and in comparison with conventional detectors (gamma cameras and scintigraphs) they afford a much improved accuracy in position finding. The characteristics of these two methods may be represented diagrammatically by comparing their respective advantages and drawbacks. The method of fabricating positron emitting radioelements, the preparation of the radopharmeutics and the detection appliances are then examined in turn. To conclude, the medical uses: anatomical autoradiographs, as well as physiological, metabolic and pharmacological autoradiographs are described

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[en] Positron emission tomography (PET) offers an entirely new approach to the study of the pathophysiology of cerebral ischemic disorders. This is so because for the first time it is possible to obtain functional tomographic images that represent cerebral perfusion and metabolism in a regional basis. We report here a study of cerebral blood flow and oxygen extraction by means of the ¹⁵O inhalation technique in a large number of human hemispheric infarctions. PET imaging with this non-invasive technique has permitted the description of hitherto unreported focal patterns of changes in the CBF/EO2 couple that may have important pathophysiologic and prognostic implications