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Open Access 01-12-2015 | Original research

Comparison of 4′-[methyl-¹¹C]thiothymidine (¹¹C-4DST) and 3′-deoxy-3′-[¹⁸F]fluorothymidine (¹⁸F-FLT) PET/CT in human brain glioma imaging

Authors: Yasunori Toyota, Keisuke Miyake, Nobuyuki Kawai, Tetsuhiro Hatakeyama, Yuka Yamamoto, Jun Toyohara, Yoshihiro Nishiyama, Takashi Tamiya

Published in: EJNMMI Research | Issue 1/2015

Abstract

Background

3′-deoxy-3′-[¹⁸F]fluorothymidine (¹⁸F-FLT) has been used to evaluate tumor malignancy and cell proliferation in human brain gliomas. However, ¹⁸F-FLT has several limitations in clinical use. Recently, ¹¹C-labeled thymidine analogue, 4′-[methyl-¹¹C]thiothymidine (¹¹C-4DST), became available as an in vivo cell proliferation positron emission tomography (PET) tracer. The present study was conducted to evaluate the usefulness of ¹¹C-4DST PET in the diagnosis of human brain gliomas by comparing with the images of ¹⁸F-FLT PET.

Methods

Twenty patients with primary and recurrent brain gliomas underwent ¹⁸F-FLT and ¹¹C-4DST PET scans. The uptake values in the tumors were evaluated using the maximum standardized uptake value (SUVmax), the tumor-to-normal tissue uptake (T/N) ratio, and the tumor-to-blood uptake (T/B) ratio. These values were compared among different glioma grades. Correlation between the Ki-67 labeling index and the uptake values of ¹¹C-4DST and ¹⁸F-FLT in the tumor was evaluated using linear regression analysis. The relationship between the individual ¹⁸F-FLT and ¹¹C-4DST uptake values in the tumors was also examined.

Results

¹¹C-4DST uptake was significantly higher than that of ¹⁸F-FLT in the normal brain. The uptake values of ¹¹C-4DST in the tumor were similar to those of ¹⁸F-FLT resulting in better visualization with ¹⁸F-FLT. No significant differences in the uptake values of ¹⁸F-FLT and ¹¹C-4DST were noted among different glioma grades. Linear regression analysis showed a significant correlation between the Ki-67 labeling index and the T/N ratio of ¹¹C-4DST (r = 0.50, P < 0.05) and ¹⁸F-FLT (r = 0.50, P < 0.05). Significant correlations were also found between the Ki-67 labeling index and the T/B ratio of ¹¹C-4DST (r = 0.52, P < 0.05) and ¹⁸F-FLT (r = 0.55, P < 0.05). A highly significant correlation was observed between the individual T/N ratio of ¹¹C-4DST and ¹⁸F-FLT in the tumor (r = 0.79, P = 0.0001).

Conclusions

The present study demonstrates that ¹¹C-4DST is useful for the imaging of human brain gliomas with PET. A relatively higher background uptake of ¹¹C-4DST in the normal brain compared to ¹⁸F-FLT limits the detection of low-tracer-uptake tumors. Moreover, no superiority was found in ¹¹C-4DST over ¹⁸F-FLT in the evaluation of cell proliferation.

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Title: Comparison of 4′-[methyl-11C]thiothymidine (11C-4DST) and 3′-deoxy-3′-[18F]fluorothymidine (18F-FLT) PET/CT in human brain glioma imaging
Authors: Yasunori Toyota
Keisuke Miyake
Nobuyuki Kawai
Tetsuhiro Hatakeyama
Yuka Yamamoto
Jun Toyohara
Yoshihiro Nishiyama
Takashi Tamiya
Publication date: 01-12-2015
Publisher: Springer Berlin Heidelberg
Published in: EJNMMI Research / Issue 1/2015
Electronic ISSN: 2191-219X
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1186/s13550-015-0085-3

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Comparison of 4′-[methyl-¹¹C]thiothymidine (¹¹C-4DST) and 3′-deoxy-3′-[¹⁸F]fluorothymidine (¹⁸F-FLT) PET/CT in human brain glioma imaging

Abstract

Background

Methods

Results

Conclusions

Keynote webinar | Spotlight on medication adherence

Springer Medicine

Abstract

Background

Methods

Results

Conclusions

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