Introduction: Chronic traumatic encephalopathy (CTE) is a progressive neurodegenerative syndrome, caused by single or repeated traumatic brain injuries. Since a few years ago, post mortem examination represented the only effective method to diagnose CTE through the detection of its peculiar neuropathological features (i.e. tau protein aggregates) at a macroscopic and microscopic level. Several efforts have been made to develop radiopharmaceuticals characterized by high affinity for tau aggregates, suitable for imaging through positron emission computed tomography (Tau-PET).
Areas covered: The various radiopharmaceuticals utilized for the molecular imaging of CTE through Tau-PET are covered, with specific reference to their applications in clinical practice. Furthermore, PET probes binding to the translocator protein (TSPO), a marker of brain injury and repair, are reviewed as potential tools for the imaging of neuroinflammatory cascade associated with CTE.
Expert opinion: Molecular neuroimaging of CTE with Tau-PET is an intriguing, although still not completely explored, tool for the in vivo detection and monitoring of neuropathological hallmarks associated with CTE. Furthermore, some novel tracers, such as TSPO-ligands, hold the promise to get an insight into the complex physiopathological mechanisms leading from brain injury to symptomatic CTE.
Keywords: Molecular imaging; Tau PET; chronic traumatic encephalopathy; neuroinflammation; precision medicine; translocator protein.