Physiological Whole-Brain Distribution of [18F]FDOPA Uptake Index in Relation to Age and Gender: Results from a Voxel-Based Semi-quantitative Analysis

Sinn-Rithy Toch (1, 2) , Sylvain Poussier (1, 3, 2) , Emilien Micard (3) , Marc Bertaux (4) , Axel van Der Gucht (5) , Elodie Chevalier (1, 2) , Pierre-Yves Marie (1, 2, 6) , Eric Guedj (7, 8, 9) , Antoine Verger (1, 2, 3)

1 Service de Médecine Nucléaire [CHRU Nancy]
2 Nancyclotep- Experimental Imaging Platform = Plate-forme d'imagerie moléculaire
3 IADI - Imagerie Adaptative Diagnostique et Interventionnelle
4 CHU Pitié-Salpêtrière [AP-HP]
5 CHUV - Centre Hospitalier Universitaire Vaudois = Lausanne University Hospital [Lausanne]
6 DCAC - Défaillance Cardiovasculaire Aiguë et Chronique
7 TIMONE - Hôpital de la Timone [CHU - APHM]
8 CERIMED - Centre Européen de Recherche en Imagerie médicale
9 FRESNEL - Institut FRESNEL

Purpose 6-[18F]fluoro-l-DOPA ([18F]FDOPA), a positron emission tomography (PET) amino-acid tracer of brain decarboxylase activity, is used to assess the brain dopaminergic system. Using a voxel-based semi-quantitative analysis, this study aimed to determine whether a current brain uptake index of [18F]FDOPA, expressed relative to the occipital background level, varies according to age and gender. Procedures One hundred and seventy-seven subjects were retrospectively included. A whole-brain statistical parametric mapping analysis of the [18F]FDOPA uptake index in parametric PET images was performed at a voxel threshold of p < 0.05 (corrected) and p < 0.005 (uncorrected, k cluster > 125). Results Striatal uptake indices were influenced by age, negatively for the caudate nucleus and positively for the putamen, as well as by gender, with a lower left putaminal uptake index in women. Extra-striatal uptake indices were influenced by age, negatively for the frontal cortex and brainstem and positively for the occipital cortex and cerebellum, as well as by gender (diffuse increase in women). Conclusions The uptake index of [18F]FDOPA exhibited significant physiological variations according to age and gender and should therefore be considered for PET interpretation.

Domaines: Sciences du Vivant [q-bio]; Médecine humaine et pathologie

Sinn-Rithy Toch, Sylvain Poussier, Emilien Micard, Marc Bertaux, Axel van Der Gucht, et al.. Physiological Whole-Brain Distribution of [18F]FDOPA Uptake Index in Relation to Age and Gender: Results from a Voxel-Based Semi-quantitative Analysis. Molecular Imaging and Biology, 2019, 21 (3), pp.549-557. ⟨10.1007/s11307-018-1256-1⟩. ⟨hal-02479734⟩