Imaging Studies

PET Scan Study

Purpose: PET Scan is short for Positron Emission Tomography Scan. It is a biological imaging exam that gives us information about how a person’s cells are "behaving" or functioning. It is used both clinically and for research. For this study we will perform a PET scan of the brain to try to understand how brain cells behave in HIV positive patients. Will receive injection of PBR 28 Tracer prior to PET Scan. Scientists from Johns Hopkins University, led by Dr. Justin McArthur, will work on the study alongside scientists from the National Institutes of Health.

Contact: 410-955-1853

PET DPA Study: A Novel PET Ligand for PBR Imaging: [11C]DPA-713

Purpose: To see if a radioactive compound called DPA-713 can tell us how the immune system and inflammation is interacting with the brain cells of people with HIV. We will use DPA with a PET (positron emission tomography) scan of the brain to see the amount of brain inflammation. DPA is an investigative imaging agent. That means is still being tested and has not been approved by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA), though the FDA has given us permission to use DPA in this study.

Criteria: We are looking for 44 patients with HIV, who are not actively using street drugs and who have not had any significant neurological disorders, and 10 HIV- control subjects. The study will involve three visits, for blood and urine tests, two electrocardiograms (ECG/EKG), an MRI scan and a PET scan.

Contact: 410-502-2459 or 443-799-7243