ReviewBiochemical Society transactions2015
The methodology of TSPO imaging with positron emission tomography.
Review in Biochemical Society transactions, 2015. The graph could read no effect estimate from its abstract, so it casts no vote on the map. It is linked to trial NCT03702816 (The Relationship Between Neuropsychological Testing and MRI, PET and Blood Biomarkers in Neurodegenerative Disease), which is not on this map. Cited by 145 papers, 2 of them syntheses that pooled it.
What it found
Each row is one number read from the abstract, on the scale the paper reported it, with its interval. Left of the dashed line favours the treatment, right favours the comparator. Under each row is the sentence it came from. New to these charts? A ten-minute tutorial.
The abstract states no effect estimate the extractor could read, or names no intervention and outcome on the map, so this paper lights no cell and moves no belief. It is still indexed, cited and linked below.
The trial behind it
Trials whose registry record cites this paper, or whose number appears in the abstract. A trial that started after this paper was published is citing it as background, not reporting it.
The Relationship Between Neuropsychological Testing and MRI, PET and Blood Biomarkers in Neurodegenerative Disease (COBRE - Project 1): AIM 2
Who cites it
145 citing papers in PubMed, 2 syntheses or guidelines pooled it, 229 citations in OpenAlex.
- Neuroinflammation in schizophrenia: meta-analysis ofPsychological medicine · 2019Pooled it
- A Systematic Review of Positron Emission Tomography of Tau, Amyloid Beta, and Neuroinflammation in Chronic Traumatic Encephalopathy: The Evidence To Date.Journal of neurotrauma · 2018Pooled it
- Does a monoclonal antibody targeting immune cells affect glutamatergic level in schizophrenia? A multimodal PET/MRS brain imaging study.Neuropsychopharmacology : official publication of the American College of Neuropsychopharmacology · 2026Trial
- Trial
- Confirmation of Specific Binding of the 18-kDa Translocator Protein (TSPO) Radioligand [Molecular imaging and biology · 2019Trial
- Kinetic modelling of [Journal of cerebral blood flow and metabolism : official journal of the International Society of Cerebral Blood Flow and Metabolism · 2018Trial
- Chronic pain in Alzheimer disease and the role of neuroimmune interactions.Pharmacological reviews · 2026Review
- Muscle-Nerve Signaling and Neurogenic Inflammation in Temporomandibular Disorders: Potential Contributions of Occlusal Interference and Other Peripheral Triggers.Dentistry journal · 2026Review
- Baseline Neuroinflammation Stratifies TSPO-PET Response to Disease-Modifying Therapy in Multiple Sclerosis.Annals of clinical and translational neurology · 2026Article
- Towards a Whole-Body Assessment of Pain Using the 18 kDa Translocator Protein (TSPO) as a Broad-Spectrum Imaging Marker of Inflammation.European journal of pain (London, England) · 2026Review
- P2X7 receptor and neuroinflammation in neurodegenerative disorders: an autoradiography study with [ 18 F]JNJ-64413739.Nuclear medicine communications · 2026Article
- Association between post-COVID-19 neuropsychiatric symptoms and persistent glial activation in the limbic system: a TSPO PET study.Journal of neurology · 2026Article
- Network-based disease fingerprinting with neuroinflammation PET imaging.Journal of neuroinflammation · 2026Article
- Anti-inflammatory treatment confirms rsfMRI and TSPO PET as biomarkers of functional connectivity and neuroinflammation in rat contusion spinal cord injuries.Scientific reports · 2026Article
- Microglia as candidate links between hormonal signals and neuronal circuits in polycystic ovary syndrome: evidence gaps and a research agenda.Frontiers in endocrinology · 2026Review
- First evaluation in multiple sclerosis using PET tracer [European journal of nuclear medicine and molecular imaging · 2026Article
- Critical role of translocator protein (TSPO) in neuronal mitochondrial dysfunction and mental stress-exacerbated ischemic injury following stroke.Translational psychiatry · 2025Article
- Translocator protein (TSPO) positron emission tomography imaging and expression in patients with brain metastases.European journal of nuclear medicine and molecular imaging · 2025Article
- PET Imaging Unveils Neuroinflammatory Mechanisms in Psychiatric Disorders: From Microglial Activation to Therapeutic Innovation.Molecular neurobiology · 2025Review
- Spinal cord metabolism in multiple sclerosis: a decade of missed opportunities and future directions.Spinal cord · 2025Review
85 more citing papers are in PubMed but not listed here.
Corrections and comments
PubMed lists nothing against this paper. Absence here is not a guarantee, only a check that was made.
Authors and funding
7 authors at 2 institutions in 2 countries.
Funding
Abstract
The 18-kDA translocator protein (TSPO) is consistently elevated in activated microglia of the central nervous system (CNS) in response to a variety of insults as well as neurodegenerative and psychiatric conditions. It is therefore a target of interest for molecular strategies aimed at imaging neuroinflammation in vivo. For more than 20 years, positron emission tomography (PET) has allowed the imaging of TSPO density in brain using [(11)C]-(R)-PK11195, a radiolabelled-specific antagonist of the TSPO that has demonstrated microglial activation in a large number pathological cohorts. The significant clinical interest in brain immunity as a primary or comorbid factor in illness has sparked great interest in the TSPO as a biomarker and a surprising number of second generation TSPO radiotracers have been developed aimed at improving the quality of TSPO imaging through novel radioligands with higher affinity. However, such major investment has not yet resulted in the expected improvement in image quality. We here review the main methodological aspects of TSPO PET imaging with particular attention to TSPO genetics, cellular heterogeneity of TSPO in brain tissue and TSPO distribution in blood and plasma that need to be considered in the quantification of PET data to avoid spurious results as well as ineffective development and use of these radiotracers.
Indexed as
Identifiers
What OpenQuestion holds
Registered trials
Read under generation 80e0d062 · epoch 390. Bibliography from PubMed, PubMed Central and OpenAlex; grants from NIH RePORTER; trial links from ClinicalTrials.gov; estimates, votes and beliefs from the OpenQuestion graph.