Possibilities of Using "Sodium Fluoride, 18F" for Diagnostics of Bone Tumors by Positron Emission Tomography (Experimental Study)

Abstract

Purpose: To study the potential of using radiopharmaceutical “Sodium Fluoride 18F” in order to reveal foci of malignant tumors in animals’ bones by positron emission tomography (PET).
 Material and methods: Two experimental models (human prostate adenocarcinoma PC 3 and Pliss lymphosarcoma) were used. Tumor cell PC 3 suspensions were injected under a hip periosteum of the BALB/c nude line mice or outbred rats (Pliss lymphosarcoma). Radiopharmaceutical was injected into a tail vein of animals with developed tumors. Then PET scanning was performed for these animals.
 Results: Effective half-life of radiopharmaceutical from blood was 9.45 min, from skeleton bones - 77.5 min and tumors – 99 min. The hyperfixation level of radiopharmaceutical in the tumor was sufficient to image tumors by PET. In areas of the tumor from cells of prostate adenocarcinoma PC 3 and Pliss lymphosarcoma the uptake rate of radiopharmaceutical was quite high during an hour that resulted in a high contrast image of tumors in animals’ bones. T/NT ratio tumor/bone in rats with Pliss lymphosarcoma was increased in the first 20 min after administration of the radiopharmaceutical, and then slowly decreased. Nevertheless, in 40 minutes after injection of the radiopharmaceutical T/NT ratio tumor/bone remained quite high – more then 1.7, and T/NT ratio tumor/muscle exceeded to 9.0.
 Conclusion: The uptake level and fixation time of the radiopharmaceutical in tumor foci, as well as low activity value and its rapid excretion from intact tissues show the expediency of the use of “Sodium Fluoride 18F” to diagnose intraosseous foci of malignant diseases.