[Clinical value of positron emission tomography in neuromedicine. Position paper on results of an interdisciplinary consensus conference].

To date, positron emission tomography (PET) is the most powerful method for the in-vivo investigation of human brain metabolism. Besides extensive application of this technology in the neurosciences, PET is also being increasingly used as a clinical tool. However, despite its acceptance in clinical practice a major obstacle is its high costs. The present article reviews the literature on the clinical use of PET in neurology, neurosurgery, and psychiatry in order to substantiate the clinical indications for PET in these specialties as established by an interdisciplinary conference.