Imaging of musculoskeletal bacterial infections by [124I]FIAU-PET/CT.

Abstract

BACKGROUND:

Traditional imaging techniques for the localization and monitoring of bacterial infections, although reasonably sensitive, suffer from a lack of specificity. This is particularly true for musculoskeletal infections. Bacteria possess a thymidine kinase (TK) whose substrate specificity is distinct from that of the major human TK. The substrate specificity difference has been exploited to develop a new imaging technique that can detect the presence of viable bacteria.

METHODOLOGY/PRINCIPAL FINDINGS:

Eight subjects with suspected musculoskeletal infections and one healthy control were studied by a combination of [(124)I]FIAU-positron emission tomography and CT ([(124)I]FIAU-PET/CT). All patients with proven musculoskeletal infections demonstrated positive [(124)I]FIAU-PET/CT signals in the sites of concern at two hours after radiopharmaceutical administration. No adverse reactions with FIAU were observed.

CONCLUSIONS/SIGNIFICANCE:

[(124)I]FIAU-PET/CT is a promising new method for imaging bacterial infections.

• Authors: Luis A Diaz Jr, Catherine A Foss, Katherine Thornton, Sridhar Nimmagadda, Christopher J Endres, Ovsev Uzuner, Thorsten M Seyler, Slif D Ulrich, Janet Conway, Chetan Bettegowda, Nishant Agrawal, Ian Cheong, Xiaosong Zhang, Paul W Ladenson, Barry N Vogelstein, Michael A Mont, Shibin Zhou, Kenneth W Kinzler, Bert Vogelstein, Martin G Pomper
• Journal: PloS one (PLoS One) Vol. 2 Issue 10 Pg. e1007 (Oct 10 2007) ISSN: 1932-6203 [Electronic] United States
• PMID: 17925855 (Publication Type: Journal Article, Research Support, N.I.H., Extramural, Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't)

Chemical References

• Radiopharmaceuticals
• Arabinofuranosyluracil
• fialuridine
• Thymidine Kinase

Topics

• Arabinofuranosyluracil (analogs & derivatives)
• Bacteria (enzymology)
• Bacterial Infections (diagnosis, microbiology, pathology)
• Bone and Bones (microbiology)
• Case-Control Studies
• Diagnostic Imaging (instrumentation, methods)
• Humans
• Muscles (microbiology)
• Positron-Emission Tomography (methods)
• Radiopharmaceuticals
• Substrate Specificity
• Thymidine Kinase (metabolism)
• Tomography, X-Ray Computed