Figure 3.

Voxel-wise and VOI-based comparison of [¹⁸F]GE180-PET images between UL and SHAM-UL groups. (A) In the UL group, translocator protein (TSPO) activity was increased in the ipsilesional VN and nerve on day 7 after surgery (UL: N = 10 versus SHAM-UL: N = 6 rats). Both regions indicated still elevated TSPO activity at a lower degree on day 15 (UL: N = 10 versus SHAM UL: N = 5 rats). No significant differences in [¹⁸F]GE180 accumulation between both groups were found on day 30 (UL: N = 4 versus SHAM-UL: N = 5 rats). (B) VOI-based values of single UL rats (N = 10) on day 7 indicate elevated but heterogeneous TSPO activation in the vestibular nerve and nucleus when compared to SHAM-UL (N = 6). UL, unilateral labyrinthectomy; R, right; L, left; Ca, caudal; Ro, rostral; VN, vestibular nucleus; SUVR_GLM, standardized uptake value ratios including global mean scaling; VOI, volume-of-interest.