@article {van Eerd1747, author = {Julli{\"e}tte E.M. van Eerd and Huub J.J.M. Rennen and Wim J.G. Oyen and Thomas D. Harris and D. Scott Edwards and Frans H.M. Corstens and Otto C. Boerman}, title = {Scintigraphic Detection of Pulmonary Aspergillosis in Rabbits with a Radiolabeled Leukotriene B4 Antagonist}, volume = {45}, number = {10}, pages = {1747--1753}, year = {2004}, publisher = {Society of Nuclear Medicine}, abstract = {Radiolabeled chemotactic peptides have been studied for their applicability to the visualization of infectious and inflammatory foci. Because a radiolabeled leukotriene B4 (LTB4) antagonist allowed visualization of intramuscular E. coli abscesses in rabbits within a few hours after injection, we decided to test the imaging characteristics of this agent in a more clinically relevant model of pulmonary aspergillosis. The pharmacokinetics and imaging characteristics of the 111In-labeled LTB4 antagonist DPC11870 were studied in New Zealand White rabbits with experimental pulmonary aspergillosis infection. The imaging characteristics of 111In-DPC11870 were compared with those of 67Ga-citrate, a radiopharmaceutical commonly used to detect pulmonary infections in patients. Methods: Pulmonary aspergillosis was induced in the left lung of rabbits by intratracheal inoculation of 1 {\texttimes} 108 conidia of Aspergillus fumigatus. Three days after the inoculation, the rabbits received 111In-DPC11870 or 67Ga-citrate intravenously. Images were acquired at several time points up to 24 h after injection. Results: Pulmonary aspergillosis was visualized with both agents. Images acquired after injection of 111In-DPC11870 showed uptake in the pulmonary lesions from 6 h after injection. Because of accumulation at the site of infection and clearance from the background, the images improved with time. Region-of-interest analysis at 24 h after injection revealed infected lung{\textendash}to{\textendash}normal lung ratios of 5.0 {\textpm} 1.5 for 111In-DPC11870 and 2.9 {\textpm} 0.6 for 67Ga-citrate. Conclusion: The radiolabeled LTB4 antagonist DPC11870 clearly delineated experimentally induced pulmonary aspergillosis in rabbits. Images acquired at 24 h after injection of 111In-DPC11870 were superior to those obtained after injection of 67Ga-citrate.}, issn = {0161-5505}, URL = {https://jnm.snmjournals.org/content/45/10/1747}, eprint = {https://jnm.snmjournals.org/content/45/10/1747.full.pdf}, journal = {Journal of Nuclear Medicine} }