Population Pharmacokinetics of Tracers: A New Tool for Medical Imaging?

Clin Pharmacokinet. 2017 Feb;56(2):101-106. doi: 10.1007/s40262-016-0437-9.

Abstract

Positron emission tomography-computed tomography is a medical imaging method measuring the activity of a radiotracer chosen to accumulate in cancer cells. A recent trend of medical imaging analysis is to account for the radiotracer's pharmacokinetic properties at a voxel (three-dimensional-pixel) level to separate the different tissues. These analyses are closely linked to population pharmacokinetic-pharmacodynamic modelling. Kineticists possess the cultural background to improve medical imaging analysis. This article stresses the common points with population pharmacokinetics and highlights the methodological locks that need to be lifted.

MeSH terms

  • Brain Neoplasms / diagnostic imaging
  • Brain Neoplasms / metabolism
  • Diagnostic Imaging / methods
  • Glioma / diagnostic imaging
  • Glioma / metabolism
  • Humans
  • Magnetic Resonance Imaging* / methods
  • Pharmacokinetics*
  • Positron Emission Tomography Computed Tomography* / methods
  • Radioactive Tracers*

Substances

  • Radioactive Tracers