Which PET tracer is validated for assessing cardiac metabolism?

The correct answer encompasses all the options listed because each of the tracers plays a role in assessing various aspects of cardiac metabolism.

11C-Palmitate is used to analyze fatty acid metabolism in the heart. Since the heart primarily uses fatty acids as a fuel source, this tracer helps in understanding how well the heart is utilizing its primary energy substrate.

18F-FDG, or fluorodeoxyglucose, is a widely recognized tracer that evaluates glucose metabolism. In cases such as ischemia or heart failure, the heart’s ability to metabolize glucose as an energy source can provide critical insights into cardiac health.

11C-Acetate is another metabolic tracer that is particularly useful for visualizing the fatty acid synthesis pathway and providing similar insights into the heart’s metabolic state, including how it handles ketones and other substrates.

Using these tracers helps clinicians and researchers investigate different components and pathways of cardiac metabolism, making them all validated tools for comprehensive assessments in cardiac PET imaging. Each tracer highlights a different aspect of cardiac metabolic function, thus making the choice that includes all of them the most accurate.