Visualization of epileptogenesis by PET multi-tracer methods

2019 Fiscal Year Final Research Report

• Project/Area Number: 17K10886
• Research Category: Grant-in-Aid for Scientific Research (C)
• Allocation Type: Multi-year Fund
• Section: 一般
• Research Field: Neurosurgery
• Research Institution: Tokyo Medical and Dental University
• Principal Investigator: Inaji Motoki 東京医科歯科大学, 医学部附属病院, 講師 (00422486)
• Project Period (FY): 2017-04-01 – 2020-03-31
• Keywords: epilepsy / PET

Outline of Final Research Achievements

PET evalustion with multi-tracers realize the determination of epliptic foci with high accuracy in clinical diagonsis. Because the epileptic foci was expressed as cold lesion, statistical analysis was required. TSPO is hopeful target for PET imaging. TSPO PET iagung clearly visualized the foci in the basic research. Glutamate receptor type5, tryptophan metabolism are also hopeful target for imaging. Actually, significant increasing binding was observed in each model animals. Especially in EL mice, uptake into whole brain by tryptophan metabolism is markedly increased, and it is considered to be the most useful PET tracer for clinical application. This metabolism does not change in the lesion related epilepsy model.

Free Research Field

脳神経外科

Academic Significance and Societal Importance of the Research Achievements

てんかん外科ではてんかん焦点を切除することで根治が期待できるが、てんかん焦点の明確なイメージングはいまだ困難である。PET、SPECTといった核医学検査は、構造的な異常ではなく、質的な脳機能異常を可視化しうる。また、複数のリガンドを用いることで脳機能を多角的に評価することができ、てんかん原性により本質的な焦点の可視化が期待される。さらには、基礎動物実験からヒト臨床までの共通した診断ツールでもある。てんかん焦点診断のみならず、てんかん原性の機序解明に寄与しうる可能性を持っており、さらなる新規トレーサー開発による本質的な焦点診断が期待される。