Cell Biology JoVE (Open Access) Citable · DOI

PET Imaging of Neuroinflammation Using [11C]DPA-713 in a Mouse Model of Ischemic Stroke

Name: PET Imaging of Neuroinflammation Using [11C]DPA-713 in a Mouse Model of Ischemic Stroke
Uploaded: 2026-07-01
Duration: 12 min 1 s
Description: Neuroinflammation is central to the pathological cascade following ischemic stroke. Non-invasive molecular imaging methods have the potential to provide ...

DOI: 10.3791/57243-v

What you'll learn

✓ Perform TSPO-PET imaging to visualize neuroinflammation in stroke models
✓ Acquire and analyze dynamic PET data using [11C]DPA-713 tracer
✓ Correlate PET imaging with ex vivo autoradiography validation
✓ Quantify translocator protein expression in ischemic brain tissue

Protocol

Positron Emission Tomography (PET) imaging of translocator protein 18 kDa (TSPO) provides a non-invasive means to visualize the dynamic role of neuroinflammation in the development and progression of brain diseases. This protocol describes TSPO-PET and ex vivo autoradiography to detect neuroinflammation in a mouse model of ischemic stroke.

Difficulty

advanced

Total time

~3–4 hours per mouse (imaging and analysis; excludes tracer synthesis and stroke induction)

Model organism

Mouse (distal middle cerebral artery occlusion model)

Biosafety

BSL-2

Steps

Acquire computed tomography baseline images

Perform CT scanning to establish anatomical reference and assess baseline brain structure before PET tracer administration.

▶ 02:20

Conduct dynamic PET acquisition post-tracer injection

Inject [11C]DPA-713 intravenously and acquire continuous PET data over the specified imaging window to capture tracer kinetics in stroke-affected brain regions.

▶ 03:34

Analyze dynamic PET images and extract kinetic parameters

Process acquired PET frames, apply image registration, and calculate quantitative metrics (standardized uptake values, time–activity curves) to measure TSPO binding in lesioned tissue.

▶ 05:48

Validate PET findings with ex vivo autoradiography

Extract brain tissue post-imaging, perform autoradiographic analysis, and correlate ex vivo radioactivity distribution with in vivo PET results to confirm neuroinflammation localization.

▶ 10:23

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