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The normal pituitary examined with positron emission tomography and (methyl-11C)-L-methionine and (methyl-11C)-D-methionine

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Summary

Four patients with radiologically normal pituitary gland were examined with positron emission tomography after the administration of (methyl-11C)-L-methionine. On a following day the examination was repeated with (methyl-11c)-D-methionine. The accumulation rate of L-methionine in the pituitary was measured, giving a value that was about twice that of normal brain tissue. The accumulation rate of D-methionine in the pituitary was almost a factor of 10 lower than that of L-methionine. In the normal brain tissue that ratio was 2.3. The study clearly indicates that the methionine uptake in the pituitary is stereospecific. 11C-D-methionine is freely distributed in the tissue without entrapment, whereas 11C-L-methionine is irreversibly bound. It is concluded that PET with 11C-L-methionine can be used to study amino acid utilization in the pituitary.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Radiation Physics, Karolinska Hospital, Stockholm

    M. Bergström

  2. Department of Neuroradiology, Karolinska Hospital, Stockholm

    M. Bergström & K. Ericson

  3. Department of Clinical Neurophysiology, Karolinska Hospital, Stockholm

    L. Eriksson & G. Blomquist

  4. Department of Karolinska Pharmacy, Karolinska Hospital, Stockholm

    P. Johnström

  5. Department of Neurology, Gustaf Werner Institute, Uppsala, Sweden

    M. Bergström & C. Muhr

  6. Department of Diagnostic Radiology, Gustaf Werner Institute, Uppsala, Sweden

    A. Lilja

  7. Department of Physical Biology, Gustaf Werner Institute, Uppsala, Sweden

    H. Lundqvist

  8. Department of Organic Chemistry, Uppsala University, Uppsala, Sweden

    B. Långström

  9. Department of Neurology, University Hospital, S-75185, Uppsala, Sweden

    M. Bergström

Authors
  1. M. Bergström
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  2. C. Muhr
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  3. K. Ericson
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  4. H. Lundqvist
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  5. A. Lilja
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  6. L. Eriksson
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  7. G. Blomquist
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  8. B. Långström
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  9. P. Johnström
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Bergström, M., Muhr, C., Ericson, K. et al. The normal pituitary examined with positron emission tomography and (methyl-11C)-L-methionine and (methyl-11C)-D-methionine. Neuroradiology 29, 221–225 (1987). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00451757

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00451757

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