The deoxyglucose method: theory and practice.

By analysis of a kinetic model of the behavior of 2-deoxyglucose and glucose in brain, an operational equation has been derived that allows the computation of the rates of glucose utilization simultaneously in all structures of the central nervous system on the basis of readily measurable variables. Localization in the central nervous system is achieved by a quantitative autoradiographic technique that provides direct visualization of the relative rates of glucose utilization in all parts of the central nervous system.