PT  - JOURNAL ARTICLE
AU  - van Eerd, Julliëtte E.M.
AU  - Rennen, Huub J.J.M.
AU  - Oyen, Wim J.G.
AU  - Harris, Thomas D.
AU  - Edwards, D. Scott
AU  - Corstens, Frans H.M.
AU  - Boerman, Otto C.
TI  - Scintigraphic Detection of Pulmonary Aspergillosis in Rabbits with a Radiolabeled Leukotriene B4 Antagonist
DP  - 2004 Oct 01
TA  - Journal of Nuclear Medicine
PG  - 1747--1753
VI  - 45
IP  - 10
4099  - http://jnm.snmjournals.org/content/45/10/1747.short
4100  - http://jnm.snmjournals.org/content/45/10/1747.full
SO  - J Nucl Med2004 Oct 01; 45
AB  - 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 × 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–to–normal lung ratios of 5.0 ± 1.5 for 111In-DPC11870 and 2.9 ± 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.