Imaging tumor hypoxia and tumor perfusion

J Nucl Med. 1993 Jun;34(6):885-8.

Abstract

Tumor perfusion and oxygenation status have been suggested as factors which may influence treatment outcome in cancer patients. Nuclear medicine assays of tumor perfusion [99mTc-hexamethylpropylenamine oxime (HMPAO)] and tumor hypoxia [123I-iodoazomycin arabinoside (IAZA)] have recently been developed and described. We report on measurements of perfusion and oxygenation status of 27 tumors in 22 patients using these probes. An inverse correlation between tumor uptake of HMPAO and IAZA was measured (p < 0.05), with severe perfusion deficit usually associated with an increased uptake of the hypoxic marker. This trend was observed for limited stage small-cell lung carcinoma, squamous-cell carcinoma of the head and neck, soft-tissue sarcoma, brain metastases from small-cell lung carcinoma and adenocarcinoma of the prostate as a group, but not for glioblastoma multiforme. Whereas each imaging agent can yield information about the physiological status of tumor and normal tissue, the information resulting from their combined use could be important in cancer therapy.

Publication types

  • Comparative Study
  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Brain Neoplasms / diagnostic imaging*
  • Carcinoma, Small Cell / diagnostic imaging
  • Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / diagnostic imaging
  • Cell Hypoxia
  • Female
  • Glioblastoma / diagnostic imaging
  • Head and Neck Neoplasms / diagnostic imaging*
  • Humans
  • Iodine Radioisotopes*
  • Lung Neoplasms / diagnostic imaging*
  • Male
  • Nitroimidazoles*
  • Organotechnetium Compounds*
  • Oximes*
  • Sarcoma / diagnostic imaging
  • Soft Tissue Neoplasms / diagnostic imaging*
  • Technetium Tc 99m Exametazime
  • Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon

Substances

  • Iodine Radioisotopes
  • Nitroimidazoles
  • Organotechnetium Compounds
  • Oximes
  • iodoazomycin arabinoside
  • Technetium Tc 99m Exametazime