RT Journal Article
SR Electronic
T1 Scintigraphic Detection of Pulmonary Aspergillosis in Rabbits with a Radiolabeled Leukotriene B4 Antagonist
JF Journal of Nuclear Medicine
JO J Nucl Med
FD Society of Nuclear Medicine
SP 1747
OP 1753
VO 45
IS 10
A1 Julliëtte E.M. van Eerd
A1 Huub J.J.M. Rennen
A1 Wim J.G. Oyen
A1 Thomas D. Harris
A1 D. Scott Edwards
A1 Frans H.M. Corstens
A1 Otto C. Boerman
YR 2004
UL http://jnm.snmjournals.org/content/45/10/1747.abstract
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.