K Strijckmans — Page 3

PubMedDate not supplied

The isochronous cyclotron: principles and recent developments.

The principals of a cyclotron are described. A magnetic field guides the ions in circular paths, while an electric field accelerates them. The main problem in any accelerator is not to accelerate ions, but to focus them. An isochronous cyclotron overrules the problems related to relativistic mass increase during acceleration. Harmonic operation and negative (vs positive) ion acceleration (and extraction) are explained, as they make dedicated PET cyclotrons a simple, reliable, and suitable tool. The characteristics of such PET cyclotrons are described, as well as their technical implementation. The IBA 18/9 PET cyclotron is given as an example.

Carbon Radioisotopes↗

PubMedDate not supplied

Cobalt-55 positron emission tomography of ipsilateral thalamic and crossed cerebellar hypometabolism after supratentorial ischaemic stroke.

Cobalt-55 (55Co) is a positron emission tomography (PET) tracer used to demonstrate brain damage, possibly associated to calcium-mediated processes. The degree of 55Co accumulation correlates with the severity of ischaemia in stroke patients. It is still a matter of debate whether ipsilateral thalamic hypometabolism (ITH) and crossed cerebellar hypometabolism (CCH), occurring after middle cerebral artery (MCA) infarcts, represent only a metabolic depression of these remote regions or can lead to structural damage. The present study investigates whether an increased 55Co influx can be demonstrated with PET in ITH and CCH after MCA infarcts. About half of the patients with ITH and CCH had a significant degree of 55Co uptake in, respectively, the ipsilateral thalamus and the contralateral cerebellar hemisphere. It was observed in patients with severe signs of stroke on admission and poor clinical outcome, and correlated well with the degree of 55Co influx within the supratentorial infarct. The present study demonstrates that ITH and CCH after MCA infarction can represent structural damage in these remote areas that occurs during the second week after stroke onset.

Adult↗