Taswell2020EPSMS

Title

Research Protocol for Exploratory Study of Entire-body PET Scans for Multiple Sclerosis (EPSMS)
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Authors

Carl Taswell

Affiliations

Brain Health Alliance, Ladera Ranch, California; University of California San Diego, La Jolla, California

Abstract

Basic question: Can an entire-body positron emission tomography (PET) scanner be exploited to improve evaluation, monitoring and measurement of both peripheral and central demyelination in multiple sclerosis (MS) patients? We assume here that demyelination outside the brain may involve the spinal cord if not also possibly some of the larger peripheral nerves outside the spinal column in a manner that may be detected with the greater sensitivity and resolution of the most recent state-of-the-art PET scanners.
Initial approach: Adopt a cost-effective and reduced-risk approach initially for an exploratory study by using commercially available and already FDA-approved PET amyloid imaging radiopharmaceuticals that also bind to myelin to follow radiotracer uptake in white matter, thereby tracking demyelination versus remyelination for MS patients in comparison with normal healthy subjects. This initial approach with the greater sensitivity and resolution of modern entire-body PET scanners when used for amyloid/myelin imaging should hypothetically enable monitoring of increased versus decreased activity in both the peripheral nervous system (PNS) and the central nervous system (CNS), rather than only imaging the brain as performed in most conventional imaging evaluations for MS patients.
Future approach: Investigate other possible radiotracers (including those not yet FDA approved) that may be useful for monitoring demyelination, neuroinflammation and/or microglial activation in both the PNS and CNS of MS patients. PET myelin imaging by PET-CT scanners will be compared with analogous imaging by PET-MR scanners.
Significance: Improved molecular imaging with new entire-body PET scanners that provide improved detection sensitivity and spatial resolution for quantitative measurement of demyelination and remyelination will support better decision-making for patient care with more robust outcome measures for monitoring therapeutic drugs evaluated in clinical trials for the treatment of multiple sclerosis.

Keywords

Entire-body PET scan, PET-CT scanner, PET-MR scanner, multiple sclerosis, peripheral demyelination, myelin imaging, inflammation imaging, microglial imaging.

Citation

Brainiacs Journal 2020 Volume 1 Issue 1 Edoc EFAE44345
DOI: 10.48085/EFAE44345
PDP: /Nexus/Brainiacs/Taswell2020EPSMS
URL: BrainiacsJournal.org/arc/pub/Taswell2020EPSMS

Dates

received 2020-12-12, published 2020-12-26