Transient equilibrium models

With reversible ligand-receptor systems, where a reference region exists, an equilibrium analysis can be used to estimate the BP. The reference region curve is subtracted from the curve of region of interest, and the maximum time and value of the resulting "bound" curve is searched. The ratio of of this bound value and the value of reference region curve at the same time is considered equal to BP. This method and its limitations are well described in the article of Ito et al. (1998). The advantages are that blood sampling is not required, and that in same cases a static imaging can provide reasonable estimates of BP.

References

Ito H, Hietala J, Blomqvist G, Halldin C, Farde L. Comparison of the transient equilibrium and continuous infusion method for quantitative PET analysis of [¹¹C]raclopride binding. J Cereb Blood Flow Metab. 1998; 18:941-950.