Nuclear Medicine Board
Exam Review 10 a
Questions and Answers
what is blood brain barrier (BBB) imaging used for?
Ans- determine cerebral brain death (usually planar imaging if the patient is
claustrophobic or needs to be done at the bedside)
what are the indications to preforming BBB planar brain imaging?
Ans- 1) primary metastatic disease ( glioma, meningioma)
2)intracranial inflammatory disease (abscess, encephalitis)
3)cerebral vascular disease (hemorrhage, vascular occlusion, hemangioma)
4)complications of head trauma
,what is the blood brain barrier and why under normal circumstances would a
radiopharmaceutical not cross it?
Ans- defense that prevents undesired substances from reaching the brain or
the CSF.
under normal circumstances when the BBB is intact, radiotracers would not be
able to cross, but where it is damaged, the tracer is able to cross
what is the desired radiopharmaceutial for BBB imaging and why?
Ans- 99mTc-pentetate (DTPA) is desired due to the rapid clearance by the
kidneys which leads to a higher target to non target ratio
what radiopharmaceutical is not desired for BBB imaging and why?
Ans- 99mTc-pertechnetate because it has an increased uptake in the choroid
plexus so you would need to administer a blocking agent prior (potassium
perchlorate)
, what is the primary PET imaging agent for BBB imaging? what does its uptake
levels in the brain mean?
Ans- 18F-FDG
concentration in the tumor=hotter
no concentration in the tumor=cold
is there any special patient prep needed for a BBB imaging study?
Ans- no special prep
get a patient history and if using pertechnetate use the blocking agent (0.2-1g
potassium perchnorate)
what is the protocol for imaging of the BBB?
How much tracer?
Ans- almost always planar
3-phase study
Exam Review 10 a
Questions and Answers
what is blood brain barrier (BBB) imaging used for?
Ans- determine cerebral brain death (usually planar imaging if the patient is
claustrophobic or needs to be done at the bedside)
what are the indications to preforming BBB planar brain imaging?
Ans- 1) primary metastatic disease ( glioma, meningioma)
2)intracranial inflammatory disease (abscess, encephalitis)
3)cerebral vascular disease (hemorrhage, vascular occlusion, hemangioma)
4)complications of head trauma
,what is the blood brain barrier and why under normal circumstances would a
radiopharmaceutical not cross it?
Ans- defense that prevents undesired substances from reaching the brain or
the CSF.
under normal circumstances when the BBB is intact, radiotracers would not be
able to cross, but where it is damaged, the tracer is able to cross
what is the desired radiopharmaceutial for BBB imaging and why?
Ans- 99mTc-pentetate (DTPA) is desired due to the rapid clearance by the
kidneys which leads to a higher target to non target ratio
what radiopharmaceutical is not desired for BBB imaging and why?
Ans- 99mTc-pertechnetate because it has an increased uptake in the choroid
plexus so you would need to administer a blocking agent prior (potassium
perchlorate)
, what is the primary PET imaging agent for BBB imaging? what does its uptake
levels in the brain mean?
Ans- 18F-FDG
concentration in the tumor=hotter
no concentration in the tumor=cold
is there any special patient prep needed for a BBB imaging study?
Ans- no special prep
get a patient history and if using pertechnetate use the blocking agent (0.2-1g
potassium perchnorate)
what is the protocol for imaging of the BBB?
How much tracer?
Ans- almost always planar
3-phase study
