Targeting vesicular monoamine transporter type 2 for noninvasive PET-based ?-cell mass measurements

The common pathology in both Types 1 and 2 diabetes is insufficient ?-cell mass to meet the metabolic needs of insulin production. The rising worldwide incidence of diabetes, combined with the lack of reliable endpoints of the body's true capacity to produce insulin, constitute a serious dilemma facing healthcare professionals and the pharmaceutical industry. Recent advances in imaging science and molecular imaging chemistry, as well as a broader understanding of basic islet biology, now allow the collection of quantitative information about p cells deep within the pancreas. The ability to noninvasively measure the mass of insulin-producing cells will most likely be of value towards characterizing new drugs and refining the diagnosis and treatment of this burdensome disease. © 2007 Future Drugs Ltd.