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In Vivo Quantitation of Intratumoral Radioisotope Uptake Using Micro-Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography/Computed Tomography

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Abstract

Purpose

This study was undertaken to determine the ability of micro-single photon emission computed tomography (micro-SPECT)/computed tomography (CT) to accurately quantitate intratumoral radioisotope uptake in vivo and to compare these measurements with planar imaging and micro-SPECT imaging alone.

Procedures

Human pancreatic cancer xenografts were established in 10 mice. Intratumoral radioisotope uptake was achieved via intratumoral injection of an attenuated measles virus vector expressing the NIS gene (MV-NIS). On various days after MV-NIS injection, 123I planar and micro-SPECT/CT imaging was performed. Tumor activity was determined by dose calibrator measurements and region-of-interest (ROI) image analysis. Agreement and reproducibility of tumor activity measurements were assessed by Bland–Altman plots and Lin’s concordance correlation coefficient (CCC).

Results

Intratumoral radioisotope uptake was detected in all mice. Scatterplots demonstrate strong agreement (CCC = 0.93) between micro-SPECT/CT ROI image analysis and dose calibrator tumor activity measurements. The differences between dose calibrator activity measurements and those obtained with ROI image analysis of micro-SPECT alone and planar imaging are less accurate and more variable (CCC = 0.84 and 0.78, respectively).

Conclusions

Micro-SPECT/CT can be used to accurately quantify intratumoral radioisotope uptake in vivo and is more reliable than planar or micro-SPECT imaging alone.

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Acknowledgments

This work was supported in part by the National Cancer Institute (grants K08 CA103859-01A1 and CA 100634-01), the Mayo Clinic SPORE in Pancreatic Cancer (grant P20 CA 102701), the Society of Gastrointestinal Radiology Research Grant Program, and the GE-AUR Radiology Research Academic Fellowship (GERRAF) Program. The authors thank Tracy Decklever for technical and imaging assistance, and doctoral student Dan Mundy for his valuable assistance with phantom experiments.

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Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Radiology, Mayo Clinic, 200 First Street SW, Rochester, MN, 559005, USA

    Stephanie K. Carlson MD, MS, Claire E. Bender MD, Bradley J. Kemp PhD & Val J. Lowe MD

  2. Section of Safety, Mayo Clinic, 200 First Street SW, Rochester, MN, 559005, USA

    Kelly L. Classic MS

  3. Molecular Medicine Program, Mayo Clinic, 200 First Street SW, Rochester, MN, 559005, USA

    Stephanie K. Carlson MD, MS, Elizabeth M. Hadac BS & Stephen J. Russell MD, PhD

  4. Division of Biostatistics, Mayo Clinic, 200 First Street SW, Rochester, MN, 559005, USA

    Tanya L. Hoskin MS

Authors
  1. Stephanie K. Carlson MD, MS
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  2. Kelly L. Classic MS
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Correspondence to Stephanie K. Carlson MD, MS.

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Carlson, S.K., Classic, K.L., Hadac, E.M. et al. In Vivo Quantitation of Intratumoral Radioisotope Uptake Using Micro-Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography/Computed Tomography. Mol Imaging Biol 8, 324–332 (2006). https://doi.org/10.1007/s11307-006-0058-z

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