PT - JOURNAL ARTICLE AU - Gross, Milton D. AU - Shapiro, Brahm AU - Fig, Lorraine M. AU - Steventon, Robert AU - Skinner, Richard W.S. AU - Hay, Rick V. TI - Imaging of Human Infection with <sup>131</sup>I-Labeled Recombinant Human Interleukin-8 DP - 2001 Nov 01 TA - Journal of Nuclear Medicine PG - 1656--1659 VI - 42 IP - 11 4099 - http://jnm.snmjournals.org/content/42/11/1656.short 4100 - http://jnm.snmjournals.org/content/42/11/1656.full SO - J Nucl Med2001 Nov 01; 42 AB - The chemotactic cytokine interleukin-8 (IL-8) plays an important role in attraction and activation of polymorphonuclear leukocytes in infection and inflammation. A pilot study was conducted to determine if radiolabeled IL-8 would depict infection in humans. Methods: Human recombinant IL-8 (rhIL-8) labeled with 131I (specific activity, 0.4–0.7 MBq [11–18 μCi] 131I/μg IL-8) was injected intravenously into 8 diabetic patients with active foot infections and evidence of osteomyelitis, 2 patients with successfully treated osteomyelitis, and 1 patient with cellulitis of the thumb. Results: Focal accumulation of 131I-rhIL-8 was seen in 8 of 8 patients with active foot infection and diffuse uptake was seen in the thumb of the 1 patient with cellulitis. In the 2 patients with successfully treated bone infection, multiphase 99mTc-hydroxyethylene diphosphonate bone scans were negative early, but late-phase (&gt;3 h) uptake depicted degenerative lesions that did not image with 131I-rhIL-8. Conclusion: 131I-rhIL-8 accumulates rapidly within infected foci in osteomyelitis and cellulitis but not in successfully treated infections or degenerative joint disease.