PET tomographic imaging of the human heart, pancreas, and liver with nitrogen-13 derived from [13N]-L-glutamate.

The first commercial version of the Massachusetts General Hospital (MGH) positron camera was used to image the relative distributions of 13N (T1/2 = 9.96 min) in the human heart, pancreas, and liver after intravenous administration of [13N]-L-glutamate. The instrument was operated in two imaging modes. Conventional 2-dimensional (2-D) focal-plane images showed high concentrations of 13N in the heart and pancreas, and lower levels in the liver. Five PET tomographic transverse section (3-D) images were made through the heart and three through the pancreas. Our results suggest that further studies designed to gain an improved understanding of the biochemistry of [13N]-L-glutamate aided by PET imaging, especially with newer instrumentation, are worthy of further investigation.