RadioFlow Cytometry Reveals That [¹⁸F]FDG Uptake in K-RAS Lung Cancer Is Driven by Immune Cells: An Analysis on a Single-Cell Level

In vivo and ex vivo analyses of healthy (WT) and tumor-bearing (KPr and KPAr) lungs. Representative [¹⁸F]FDG small-animal PET/CT images of thorax (upper left, axial; upper right, sagittal; lower left, coronal). Images 50–60 min post tracer administration. Regions corresponding to lungs, heart, and tumor lesions are highlighted (A). (B) Image-based quantification of lung volume, n ≥ 3; (C) ex vivo determination of lung weights, n ≥ 3; (D) [¹⁸F]FDG whole-lung uptake, n ≥ 3, (E) metabolic tumor volume (MTV), n ≥ 24; and (F) TLG (SUV_mean* MTV), n ≥ 24. *P < 0.05, **P < 0.01, ***P < 0.001, ****P < 0.0001.

(A and D) Key results of radioFlow analyses. Sorted cell type distribution within lungs of WT, KPr, and KPAr mice, expressed in percent from all sorted cell populations. (B and E) In vivo [¹⁸F]FDG distribution in sorted cells from whole lung of KPr and KPAr mice, expressed as percentage of total radioactivity in percentage of counts per minute (%CPM). (C and F) In vivo [¹⁸F]FDG uptake normalized to sorted cell number from whole lung of KPr and KPAr mice (%CPM/10⁵ cells); n ≥ 3. CPM measured in γ-counter. *P < 0.05, **P < 0.01, ***P < 0.001, ****P < 0.0001.