Abstract: A positron emission tomography (PET) assembly includes an annular housing and an annular scintillator disposed within the annular housing. The annular scintillator includes an annular, substantially continuous crystal scintillator tube configured to absorb ionizing radiation and to emit light energy. A plurality of photo detectors are annularly disposed around the annular scintillator within the annular housing and configured to detect the emitted light energy.

Abstract: A positron emission tomography (PET) assembly includes an annular housing and an annular scintillator disposed within the annular housing. The annular scintillator includes an annular, substantially continuous crystal scintillator tube configured to absorb ionizing radiation and to emit light energy. A plurality of photo detectors are annularly disposed around the annular scintillator within the annular housing and configured to detect the emitted light energy.

Abstract: The present application provides compositions and methods for imaging traumatic brain injury using PET. The present application discloses using PET ligands targeting infiltrating neutrophils, such as a ligand of FPR, is useful for imaging inflammation. In one aspect, the ligand and imaging agent cFLFLF-PEG-64Cu.

Abstract: Macrophages within the tumor microenvironment, also called tumor associated macrophages (TAMs) have been shown to play a major role in the growth and spread of many types of cancer. Cancer cells produce cytokines that cause the macrophages to differentiate into an M2 subtype. We have designed a mannosylated liposome (MAN-LIPs) and successfully showed it to accumulate in TAMs in a mouse model of pulmonary adenocarcinoma. These liposomes are loaded with 64Cu to allow tracking by PET imaging, and contain a fluorescent dye in the lipid bilayer permitting subsequent fluorescence microscopy. MAN-LIPs are a promising new vehicle for the delivery of imaging agents to lung TAMs. In addition to imaging, they hold the potential for delivery of therapeutic agents to the tumor microenvironment.

Abstract: The present application discloses a new multivalent peptide ligand specifically targeting polymorphonuclear leukocytes (PMNs) with favorable pharmacological parameters to monitor sites of inflammation for imaging. The detailed synthesis, characterization, and pharmacological evaluation of the ligands are reported here. Two separate peptide binding ligands for formyl peptide and tuftsin receptors were chosen to link together based on the high expression levels of the two receptors on activated PMNs The heterobivalency and pegylated links were incorporated in the structural design to improve the sensitivity of the detection and to improve the bioavailability along with blood clearance profile, respectively. Two chemical constructs: cFLFLF-(PEG)n-TKPPR-99mTc (n=4, 12) were evaluated in vitro with human PMNs for binding affinity and bioavailability. As a result, FLFLF-(PEG)12-TKPPR99mTc was found to have more favorable pharmacological properties and was therefore used for further in vivo studies.

Abstract: A magnetic resonance technique to measure perfusion of fluid to tissue by inverting all the spins in fluid water hydrogen nuclei of the subject with a non-spatially-selective radiofrequency (RF) pulse and immediately reinverting the spins in an imaging plane of interest such that the spins in the imaging plane experience minimal perturbation of their magnetization while the spins outside the plane (extraslice) are inverted (tagged). To account for signal loss effects of magnetization transfer (MT), a control image is obtained by applying two non-selective inversion pulses and creating a perfusion-weighted image by subtracting the tagged image from the control image. When this tagged image is subtracted from a “control” image, the resulting intensity arises solely from the tagged spins that have flowed into the imaging plane. This resultant image is referred to as a perfusion weighted image, because its intensity is a function of the rate of perfusion into the imaging plane.