Is positron emission tomography a useful tool for studying migraine?

Despite the high prevalence of migraine in the population, the pathophysiology of this condition remains poorly understood. Vascular changes have been postulated. With positron emission tomography and various radiotracers, it is possible to have a non-invasive access to a number of parameters of interest in migraine research. These are presented and discussed in this article. PET has great potential for answering some basic questions concerning the physiological or biochemical changes that can occur during and between migraine attacks. Few studies have been published, however, probably because of (i) limitations inherent to the technique and (ii) problems in study design.