INCLUSION CRITERIA:
COMMON TO PATIENTS WITH NEUROCYSTICERCOSIS AND HEALTHY SUBJECTS:
Ages between 18 and 65, inclusive.
In addition, patients must meet the inclusion criteria of protocol 85-I-0127.
CONTROL SUBJECTS:
Are healthy based on history, physical exams, ECG, and lab tests.
EXCLUSION CRITERIA:
COMMON TO ALL SUBJECTS:
Current psychiatric illness, substance abuse or severe systemic disease based on history and physical exam.
ECG with clinically significant abnormalities. Any existing physical exam and ECG within one year will be reviewed and if none already exists in the chart, these will be obtained and reviewed.
Prior participation in other research protocols or clinical care in the last year such that radiation exposure would exceed the annual guideline of RSC.
Pregnancy or breast feeding.
Claustrophobia.
Positive HIV test.
Cannot lie on back for a few hours for the PET scans.
[(11)C]PBR28 or [(18)F]FBR did not show binding in a brain or a whole body PET scan in the past.
AN ADDITIONAL EXCLUSION CRITERION TO BRAIN SCANS:
Presence of ferromagnetic metal in the body or heart pacemaker.
ADDITIONAL EXCLUSION CRITERIA FOR PATIENTS:
Medically unstable.
Seizures are not well controlled with medications.
A history of brain disease other than neurocysticercosis.
Laboratory tests with clinically significant abnormalities unrelated to neurocysticercosis or its treatment.
ADDITIONAL EXCLUSION CRITERIA FOR HEALTHY SUBJECTS:
Laboratory tests with clinically significant abnormalities.
A history of brain disease.
National Institutes of Health Clinical Center
Bethesda, Maryland 20892. Last update: 01/30/2009