Changes in 18F-FDG Uptake Within Minutes After Chemotherapy in a Rabbit VX2 Tumor Model

Equivalent cross-relaxation rate imaging and diffusion weighted imaging for early prediction of response to bevacizumab-containing treatment in colorectal liver metastases-preliminary study

PURPOSE

To evaluate and compare the usefulness of equivalent cross-relaxation rate (ECR) imaging (ECRI) and diffusion-weighted imaging (DWI) in the early prediction of the response of bevacizumab-containing treatments of colorectal liver metastases.

METHODS AND MATERIAL

Seven patients received bevacizumab-containing treatments for colorectal liver metastases. Serial magnetic resonance imaging was performed to evaluate responses before and 2 weeks after starting chemotherapy. In the ECRI, we adopted the off-resonance technique for preferential saturation of immobile protons to evaluate the ECR values. A single saturation transfer pulse frequency was used at a frequency of 3.5 ppm downfield from the water resonance. In the DWI, the apparent diffusion coefficient (ADC) value commonly used with two b-values was acquired by using diffusion weightings of 0 and 800 s/mm². The region of interest of the metastatic lesions in the liver was separately measured by ECRI and DWI. Tumor response was assessed by response evaluation criteria in solid tumors criteria 8 weeks after starting chemotherapy.

RESULTS

In this study, we had four responders and three nonresponders. There was a significant difference in the pretreatment ECR values between the responders and nonresponders (P=.01); there was no significant difference in the ADC values between the two groups. Analysis of the percentage difference between the pretreatment and post-treatment values, termed as percentage change, showed that there were no significant differences in the percentage change of the ADC values between both groups; however, the percentage change in the ECR value was significantly greater for the responders than for the nonresponders (-41.6%±17.1% vs. -12.9%±6.9%, respectively; P=.04).

CONCLUSION

The pretreatment ECR value and percentage change of the ECR value 2 weeks after starting chemotherapy were useful parameters in the early prediction of response to bevacizumab-containing treatment in colorectal liver metastases.

Biometabolic Distribution of 99mTc-3PRGD2 and Its Potential Value in Monitoring Chemotherapeutic Effects

Previous studies have reported that 99mTc-3PRGD2 is an excellent tumor imaging agent that showed a good correlation with integrin αvβ3, a main factor of tumor-induced angiogenesis. In this study, we investigated the biometabolic distribution characteristics of 99mTc-3PRGD2 with a continuous dynamic acquisition mode to explore the potential value of 99mTc-3PRGD2 in monitoring chemotherapeutic effects in VX2 tumor models. Eighteen rabbits with 27 implanted VX2 squamous cell tumors were randomly divided into a nontreated control group (NTG, n = 8; 12 tumors) and a treatment group (TG, n = 10; 15 tumors). 99mTc-3PRGD2 imaging was performed prior to cisplatin injection and repeated on days 0, 1, 7, and 14 postinjection. Continuous dynamic scanning up to 30 minutes; static imaging at 0.5 hours, 1 hour, and 3 hours; and single-photon emission computed tomography/computed tomography (SPECT/CT)-integrated imaging at 3 hours post-99mTc-3PRGD2 injection were performed. The peak time (time to reach peak in dynamic curve), tumor to normal (T/N) ratios, and their change rates relative to pretherapy were calculated. Autoradiography, hematoxylin-eosin (H&E) staining, and CD31 and integrin αv immunohistochemical staining were examined. VX2 tumors were clearly visualized at 3 hours post-99mTc-3PRGD2 injection. Tumors in the TG shrank significantly on day 7 after cisplatin administration (p < .05). The half-life (t1/2) of the radiotracer in heart, liver, and tumor in the NTG were 3.43 ± 0.94 minutes, 13.41 ± 9.17 minutes, and 70.83 ± 33.37 minutes, respectively. The peak time was delayed in the TG immediately and continuously after cisplatin administration compared to the peak time in the NTG. The T/N values and their change rates decreased significantly in the TG compared to the NTG after therapy (p < .05). The immunostained areas were significantly decreased in the TG (p < .05) compared to the NTG. 99mTc-3PRGD2 was an excellent imaging agent for demonstrating tumor angiogenesis. The peak time, T/N values, and their change rates were sensitive parameters to monitor early chemotherapeutic effects. Due to the specific target mechanism and the cost-effective value of 99mTc-3PRGD2, 99mTc-3PRGD2 SPECT imaging may have potential in detecting the therapeutic effects of anticancer therapy.

Bioevaluation study of 32P-CP-PLLA particle brachytherapy in a rabbit VX2 lung tumor model

OBJECTIVE

The purpose of this study was to investigate the therapy effects of intratumoral administration of (32)P-CP-PLLA particles in a rabbit VX2 lung tumor model.

METHODS

16 rabbits with tumors were randomly divided into 4 groups. 4 rabbits served as untreated controls, and others received intratumoral administration of (32)P-CP-PLLA particles with CT guidance. The total radioactivities in treated groups were as follows: a low activity was 93 MBq (n=4) (group 1), a medium activity was 185 MBq (n=4) (group 2) and a high activity was 370 MBq (n=4) (group 3). Brachytherapy treated VX2 tumors underwent (18)F-FDG PET/CT at 0 day, 3 day, 7 day and 14 day postinjection. In control group, (18)F-FDG PET/CT images were acquired at the same time points but without any treatment. Bremsstrahlung SPECT images were performed at 14 days after intratumoral brachytherapy in treated groups. After Bremsstrahlung SPECT and last (18)F-FDG PET/CT imagings, the rabbits were euthanized and the tumors were removed for histological examination.

RESULTS

Bremsstrahlung SPECT images study indicated that there was no leakage of (32)P out of the injection site at 14 days after treatment. Compared with the control, the tumor volumes in treated groups significantly decreased, and (32)P-CP-PLLA particle produced a reduction in maximum or mean SUV of VX2 tumor (p<0.05). The percentage changes in maximum and mean SUV gradually decreased in group 1 and group 2 from day 3 to day 14 (p<0.05). A transient increase in (18)F-FDG accumulation at group 3 occurred due to the inflammatory reaction elements. Activity dependence was seen in HE and PCNA staining after 14 days treatment among three treated groups (p<0.05).

CONCLUSIONS

Our data suggested that (32)P-CP-PLLA particle localized on the injecting sites. This novel brachytherapy device efficiently suppressed the growth of the VX2 tumors implanted in the rabbit.

Cellular Imaging Using Equivalent Cross-Relaxation Rate Technique in Rabbit VX-2 Tumor Model

Purpose:

Equivalent cross-relaxation rate (ECR) imaging (ECRI) is a measurement technique that can be used to quantitatively evaluate changes in structural organization and cellular density by MRI. The aim of this study was to evaluate the correlation between the ECR value and cellular density in the rabbit VX2 tumor model.

Materials and methods:

Five rabbits implanted with 10 VX2 tumors in the femur muscles were included in this study. We adopted the off-resonance technique with a single saturation transfer pulse frequency of 7 ppm downfield from water resonance. The ECR value was defined as the percentage of signal loss between the unsaturated and saturated images. ECR images were constructed based on the percentage of the ECR value. Pathological specimens were divided into 34 areas and classified into two groups: the viable group and the necrotic group. ECR values were measured and compared between groups. The correlation between the ECR value and cellular density was then determined.

Results:

The mean ECR value was significantly higher in the viable group than in the necrotic group (61.2% vs. 35.8%). The area under the curve that calculated by receiver operating characteristic curve was 0.991 at 7 ppm. The regression graph showed a linear relationship between the ECR value and cellular density; the correlation coefficient (r) was 0.858.

Conclusion:

There is a strong association between the ECR value and cellular density in VX2 tumors and so ECRI could be a potentially useful technique for accurately depicting viable and necrotic areas.

Small-animal PET of tumor damage induced by photothermal ablation with 64Cu-bis-DOTA-hypericin

The purpose of this study was to investigate the potential application of small-molecular-weight (64)Cu-labeled bis-DOTA-hypericin in the noninvasive assessment of response to photothermal ablation therapy.

METHODS

Bis-DOTA-hypericin was labeled with (64)Cu with high efficiency (>95% without purification). Nine mice bearing subcutaneous human mammary BT474 tumors were used. Five mice were injected intratumorally with semiconductor CuS nanoparticles, followed by near-infrared laser irradiation 24 h later (12 W/cm(2) for 3 min), and 4 mice were not treated (control group). All mice were intravenously injected with (64)Cu-bis-DOTA-hypericin (24 h after laser treatment in treated mice). Small-animal PET images were acquired at 2, 6, and 24 h after radiotracer injection. All mice were killed immediately after the imaging session for biodistribution and histology study. In vitro cell uptake and surface plasmon resonance studies were performed to validate the small-animal PET results.

RESULTS

(64)Cu-bis-DOTA-hypericin uptake was significantly higher in the treatment group than in the control group. The percentage injected dose per gram of tissue in the treated and control groups was 1.72 ± 0.43 and 0.76 ± 0.19, respectively (P = 0.017), at 24 h after injection. Autoradiography and histology results were consistent with selective uptake of the radiotracer in the necrotic zone of the tumor induced by photothermal ablation therapy. In vitro results showed that treated BT474 cells had a higher uptake of (64)Cu-bis-DOTA-hypericin than nontreated cells. Surface plasmon resonance study showed that bis-DOTA-hypericin had higher binding affinity to phosphatidylserine and phosphatidylethanolamine than to phosphatidylcholine.

CONCLUSION

(64)Cu-bis-DOTA-hypericin has a potential to image thermal therapy-induced tumor cell damage. The affinity of (64)Cu-bis-DOTA-hypericin for injured tissues may be attributed to the breakdown of the cell membrane and exposure of phosphatidylserine or phosphatidylethanolamine to the radiotracer, which binds selectively to these phospholipids.

High throughput static and dynamic small animal imaging using clinical PET/CT: potential preclinical applications

PURPOSE

The objective of the study was to evaluate state-of-the-art clinical PET/CT technology in performing static and dynamic imaging of several mice simultaneously.

METHODS

A mouse-sized phantom was imaged mimicking simultaneous imaging of three mice with computation of recovery coefficients (RCs) and spillover ratios (SORs). Fifteen mice harbouring abdominal or subcutaneous tumours were imaged on clinical PET/CT with point spread function (PSF) reconstruction after injection of [18F]fluorodeoxyglucose or [18F]fluorothymidine. Three of these mice were imaged alone and simultaneously at radial positions -5, 0 and 5 cm. The remaining 12 tumour-bearing mice were imaged in groups of 3 to establish the quantitative accuracy of PET data using ex vivo gamma counting as the reference. Finally, a dynamic scan was performed in three mice simultaneously after the injection of (68)Ga-ethylenediaminetetraacetic acid (EDTA).

RESULTS

For typical lesion sizes of 7-8 mm phantom experiments indicated RCs of 0.42 and 0.76 for ordered subsets expectation maximization (OSEM) and PSF reconstruction, respectively. For PSF reconstruction, SOR(air) and SOR(water) were 5.3 and 7.5%, respectively. A strong correlation (r (2) = 0.97, p < 0.0001) between quantitative data obtained in mice imaged alone and simultaneously in a group of three was found following PSF reconstruction. The correlation between ex vivo counting and PET/CT data was better with PSF reconstruction (r (2) = 0.98; slope = 0.89, p < 0.0001) than without (r (2) = 0.96; slope = 0.62, p < 0.001). Valid time-activity curves of the blood pool, kidneys and bladder could be derived from (68)Ga-EDTA dynamic acquisition.

CONCLUSION

New generation clinical PET/CT can be used for simultaneous imaging of multiple small animals in experiments requiring high throughput and where a dedicated small animal PET system is not available.