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FIGURE 7. Molecular imaging of cardiac cell transplantation in rat using optical bioluminescence and PET. (A) After transplantation into rat of embryonic cardiomyoblasts expressing luciferase gene, luciferase images were obtained for 16 d at cardiac site. Control rat showed background signal only. (B) After transplantation with cardiomyoblasts expressing HSV1-sr39tk reporter gene, location(s), magnitude, and duration of gene expression could be monitored by PET with 18F-FHBG (gray scale). (C) Representative rat with transplant had significant activity at lateral wall, as shown by 18F-FHBG image (color scale) overlaid on 13N-NH3 perfusion image (gray scale). Control rat had homogeneous 13N-NH3 perfusion but background 18F-FHBG activity. (D) Autoradiography of same rat confirmed accumulation of 18F-FHBG at lateral wall. %ID/g = percentage injected dose per gram. (Reprinted with permission of (92).)
