An Approach to Breast Cancer Diagnosis via PET Imaging of Microcalcifications Using 18F-NaF

• DOI: 10.2967/jnumed.114.139170
• Publication Date: 2014-05-16T05:05:36Z
• Authors: George H. Wilson; John C. Gore; Thomas E. Yankeelov; Stephanie Barnes; Todd E. Peterson; Jarrod M. True; Sepideh Shokouhi; J. Oliver McIntyre; Melinda Sanders; Vandana Abramson; The-Quyen Ngyuen; Anita Mahadevan-J...; Mohammed N. Tantawy
• Keywords: Microcalcification

Current radiologic methods for diagnosing breast cancer detect specific morphologic features of solid tumors or any associated calcium deposits. These deposits originate from an early molecular microcalcification process 2 types: type 1 is oxylate and II carbonated hydroxyapatite. Type I microcalcifications are mainly with benign tumors, whereas produced internally by malignant cells. No current noninvasive in vivo techniques available detecting intratumoral microcalcifications. Such a technique would have significant impact on diagnosis prognosis preclinical clinical settings. ¹⁸F-NaF PET has been used solely bone imaging targeting the In this work, we provide preliminary evidence that can be to hydroxyapatite lattice within tumor microenvironment high specificity soft-tissue contrast-to-background ratio while delineating inflammation. <b>Methods:</b> Mice were injected approximately 10⁶ MDA-MB-231 cells subcutaneously imaged PET/CT 120-min dynamic sequence when reached size 200–400 mm³. Regions interest drawn around tumor, muscle, bone. The concentrations radiotracer those regions compared one another. For comparison inflammation, rats inflamed paws subjected imaging. <b>Results:</b> Tumor uptake ¹⁸F⁻ was significantly higher (<i>P</i> &lt; 0.05) than muscle uptake, tumor-to-muscle being about 3.5. presence cell line confirmed histologically using alizarin red S von Kossa staining as well Raman microspectroscopy. observed tissue rats. Lack verified histologically. <b>Conclusion:</b> This study provides suggesting may able distinguish between inflammation cancer.