Use of antimatter for the in vivo investigation of the brain: positron emission tomography

This series of slides presents 3 imaging methods used in medicine: - the single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT), the positron emission tomography (PET), and the functional magnetic resonance imaging (FMRI). The presentation begins with a brief historical description that highlights the narrow link between progress in imaging techniques and the technological development in radiation detection and computer sciences. Another aspect is the parallel and necessary development of isotopic tracers along with imaging techniques. The clinical applications of PET and FMRI concerning either normal brain functions such as calculus or consciousness or diseases affecting the central nervous system such as Parkinson's disease or schizophrenia (trough the study of the pathways of dopamine in the brain) are presented