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European Journal of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging

Published in:

01-10-2013 | Original Article

Pharmacokinetic analysis of [¹⁸F]FAZA in non-small cell lung cancer patients

Authors: Eline E. Verwer, Floris H. P. van Velden, Idris Bahce, Maqsood Yaqub, Robert C. Schuit, Albert D. Windhorst, Pieter Raijmakers, Adriaan A. Lammertsma, Egbert F. Smit, Ronald Boellaard

Published in: European Journal of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging | Issue 10/2013

Abstract

Purpose

[¹⁸F]Fluoroazomycin arabinoside (FAZA) is a positron emission tomography (PET) tracer developed to enable identification of hypoxic regions within a tumour. The aims of this study were to determine the optimal kinetic model along with validation of using alternatives to arterial blood sampling for analysing [¹⁸F]FAZA studies and to assess the validity of simplified analytical methods.

Methods

Dynamic 70-min [¹⁸F]FAZA PET/CT scans were obtained from nine non-small cell lung cancer patients. Continuous arterial blood sampling, together with manual arterial and venous sampling, was performed to derive metabolite-corrected plasma input functions. Volumes of interest (VOIs) were defined for tumour, healthy lung muscle and adipose tissue generating [¹⁸F]FAZA time-activity curves (TACs). TACs were analysed using one- and two-tissue compartment models using both metabolite-corrected blood sampler plasma input functions (BSIF) and image-derived plasma input functions (IDIF).

Results

The reversible two-tissue compartment model with blood volume parameter (2T4k+V_B) best described kinetics of [¹⁸F]FAZA in tumours. Volumes of distribution (V_T) obtained using IDIF correlated well with those derived using BSIF (R ² = 0.82). Venous samples yielded the same radioactivity concentrations as arterial samples for times >50 min post-injection (p.i.). In addition, both plasma to whole blood ratios and parent fractions were essentially the same for venous and arterial samples. Both standardised uptake value (SUV), normalised to lean body mass, and tumour to blood ratio correlated well with V_T (R ² = 0.77 and R ² = 0.87, respectively, at 50–60 min p.i.), although a bias was observed at low V_T.

Conclusion

The 2T4k+V_B model provided the best fit to the dynamic [¹⁸F]FAZA data. IDIF with venous blood samples can be used as input function. Further data are needed to validate the use of simplified methods.

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Title: Pharmacokinetic analysis of [18F]FAZA in non-small cell lung cancer patients
Authors: Eline E. Verwer
Floris H. P. van Velden
Idris Bahce
Maqsood Yaqub
Robert C. Schuit
Albert D. Windhorst
Pieter Raijmakers
Adriaan A. Lammertsma
Egbert F. Smit
Ronald Boellaard
Publication date: 01-10-2013
Publisher: Springer Berlin Heidelberg
Published in: European Journal of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging / Issue 10/2013
Print ISSN: 1619-7070
Electronic ISSN: 1619-7089
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s00259-013-2462-3

At a glance: The STEP trials

Springer Medicine

Pharmacokinetic analysis of [¹⁸F]FAZA in non-small cell lung cancer patients

Abstract

Purpose

Methods

Results

Conclusion

At a glance: The STEP trials

Springer Medicine

Abstract

Purpose

Methods

Results

Conclusion

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