Skip to main content
Log in

Scintigraphic detection of acute experimental endocarditis with the technetium-99m labelled glycoprotein IIb/IIIa receptor antagonist DMP444

  • Original article
  • Published:
European Journal of Nuclear Medicine Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract.

Bacterial endocarditis is an important clinical problem that may result in persistent bacteraemia and irreversible cardiac damage. Since endocarditis is characterized by aggregation of activated platelets, fibrin and bacteria, we studied DMP444, a technetium-99m labelled high-affinity antagonist of the GP IIb/IIIa receptor that is expressed on activated platelets. In seven Beagle dogs (11–15 kg), the left ventricle was catheterized via the right carotid artery. One hour later, 5×107 colony forming units of Staphylococcus aureus were injected intracardially. Half an hour later, the catheter was removed. Two extra dogs underwent a complete sham procedure. One day after the intervention, five infected and the two non-infected dogs were injected with 37 MBq/kg 99mTc-DMP444 and two infected dogs with 37 MBq/kg 99mTc-IgG (used as a non-specific control agent) and imaged up to 4 h after injection. Samples were obtained for tissue counting, microbiology and histology. From 1 to 2 h post injection onward, there was clear focal accumulation of DMP444 in the aortic valve region when endocarditis was present, and this accumulation increased with time. The non-infected and the 99mTc-IgG injected dogs showed only persisting blood pool activity without any focal abnormality. At 4 h post injection, the in vivo valve-to-blood pool ratios were 1.87±0.18 in endocarditis, 1.01±0.05 in non-infected controls and 1.09±0.02 in 99mTc-IgG injected dogs (P<0.05). It is concluded that targeting activated platelets with the 99mTc-labelled GP IIb/IIIa antagonist DMP444 allows a final diagnosis of experimental bacterial endocarditis within 4 h owing to high, specific and fast in vivo uptake.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

Authors

Additional information

Received 6 October and in revised form 27 December 1999

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Oyen, W., Boerman, O., Brouwers, F. et al. Scintigraphic detection of acute experimental endocarditis with the technetium-99m labelled glycoprotein IIb/IIIa receptor antagonist DMP444. Eur J Nucl Med 27, 392–399 (2000). https://doi.org/10.1007/s002590050521

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s002590050521

Navigation