Metabolic tracers for PET scan

Positron emission tomography (PET) can measure both the myocardial perfusion and metabolism. Clinically available cardiac PET tracers include perfusion tracers like Rubidium⁸² and ¹³N-Ammonia as well as the metabolic tracer ¹⁸Fluoro-2-Deoxy Glucose (FDG). High ¹⁸FDG uptake is interpreted as myocardial inflammation. A matched metabolic and perfusion defect is taken as a scar. PET data can be acquired in dynamic mode so that it is possible to display myocardial perfusion and metabolism in absolute terms as milliliters per gram per minute of blood flow and moles per gram per minute of metabolism.

PET perfusion tracers are classified as freely diffusible and non diffusible tracers. Freely diffusible tracers accumulate and wash out from the myocardial tissue as a function of blood flow. ¹⁵O-Water is a freely diffusible tracer. Non-diffusible tracers are retained in the myocardium as a function of the blood flow. Rubidium⁸² and ¹³N-Ammonia are non-diffusible tracers. Uptake of Rubidium⁸² across the sarcolemmal membrane reflects active Sodium Potassium ATPase pump as Rubidium⁸² has biological properties similar to Potassium.