PURPOSE: We evaluated whether the dynamic profile of L-(11)C-methionine (11C-MET) may have an additional value in differentiating malignant tumors from granulomas in experimental rat models by small animal positron emission tomography (PET). METHODS: Rhodococcus aurantiacus and allogenic rat C6 glioma cells were inoculated, respectively, into the right and left calf muscles to generate a rat model bearing both granulomas and tumors (n=6). Ten days after the inoculations, dynamic 11C-MET PET was performed by small animal PET up to 120 min after injection of 11C-MET. The next day, after overnight fasting, the rats were injected with 18F-2-deoxy-2-fluoro-D-glucose (18F-FDG), and dynamic 18F-FDG PET was performed up to 180 min. The time-activity curves, static images, and mean standardized uptake value (SUV) in the lesions were calculated. RESULTS: 11C-MET uptake in the granuloma showed a slow exponential clearance after an initial distribution, while the uptake in the tumor gradually increased with time. The dynamic pattern of 11C-MET uptake in the granuloma was significantly different from that in the tumor (p<0.001). In the static analysis of 11C-MET, visual assessment and SUV analysis could not differentiate the tumor from the granuloma in all cases, although the mean SUV in the granuloma (1.48±0.09) was significantly lower than that in the tumor (1.72±0.18, p<0.01). The dynamic patterns, static images, and mean SUVs of 18F-FDG in the granuloma were similar to those in the tumor (p=NS). CONCLUSION: Dynamic 11C-MET PET has an additional value for differentiating malignant tumors from granulomatous lesions, which deserves further elucidation in clinical settings.
PURPOSE: We evaluated whether the dynamic profile of L-(11)C-methionine (11C-MET) may have an additional value in differentiating malignant tumors from granulomas in experimental rat models by small animal positron emission tomography (PET). METHODS:Rhodococcus aurantiacus and allogenic rat C6 glioma cells were inoculated, respectively, into the right and left calf muscles to generate a rat model bearing both granulomas and tumors (n=6). Ten days after the inoculations, dynamic 11C-MET PET was performed by small animal PET up to 120 min after injection of 11C-MET. The next day, after overnight fasting, the rats were injected with 18F-2-deoxy-2-fluoro-D-glucose (18F-FDG), and dynamic 18F-FDG PET was performed up to 180 min. The time-activity curves, static images, and mean standardized uptake value (SUV) in the lesions were calculated. RESULTS:11C-MET uptake in the granuloma showed a slow exponential clearance after an initial distribution, while the uptake in the tumor gradually increased with time. The dynamic pattern of 11C-MET uptake in the granuloma was significantly different from that in the tumor (p<0.001). In the static analysis of 11C-MET, visual assessment and SUV analysis could not differentiate the tumor from the granuloma in all cases, although the mean SUV in the granuloma (1.48±0.09) was significantly lower than that in the tumor (1.72±0.18, p<0.01). The dynamic patterns, static images, and mean SUVs of 18F-FDG in the granuloma were similar to those in the tumor (p=NS). CONCLUSION: Dynamic 11C-MET PET has an additional value for differentiating malignant tumors from granulomatous lesions, which deserves further elucidation in clinical settings.
Authors: Maxwell W G Miner; Heidi Liljenbäck; Jenni Virta; Semi Helin; Olli Eskola; Petri Elo; Jarmo Teuho; Kerttu Seppälä; Vesa Oikonen; Guangli Yang; Andrea Kindler-Röhrborn; Heikki Minn; Xiang-Guo Li; Anne Roivainen Journal: Front Oncol Date: 2021-10-07 Impact factor: 6.244