title: Feasibility and kinetic characteristics of (68)Ga-NOTA-RGD PET for in vivo atherosclerosis imaging.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  In this study, the feasibility and kinetic characteristics of the (68)Ga-NOTA-RGD, a recently developed RGD peptide agent, were investigated for atherosclerosis imaging in comparison with (18)FDG.
  
  
  METHODS
  ApoE(-/-) mice were fed a high-fat diet for more than 20 weeks. To evaluate the feasibility, tissue uptakes of (68)Ga-NOTA-RGD and (18)FDG in the major organs were measured and compared between ApoE(-/-) and control mice. Animal PET imaging was also performed and relative uptake values in the thoracic aorta were compared between ApoE(-/-) and control mice. In humans, the kinetic characteristics and feasibility of (68)Ga-NOTA-RGD PET were assessed in 4 patients with known coronary artery disease.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the tissue uptake study, the thoracic aorta showed higher uptake in ApoE(-/-) than in control mice with both (68)Ga-NOTA-RGD and (18)FDG (P < 0.001). On PET scans, the relative uptake values of the thoracic aorta were significantly higher in ApoE(-/-) with both (68)Ga-NOTA-RGD (P = 0.024) and (18)FDG (P = 0.038). In human PET, the appropriateness of reversible binding model and Logan plotting was clearly demonstrated. The aorta-to-jugular ratios were measured up to 1.25 and showed a tendency to correlate with the serum high-sensitivity C-reactive protein level (r = 0.899, P = 0.102).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  (68)Ga-NOTA-RGD has potential as an in vivo atherosclerosis imaging agent. However, the lower imaging contrast and sensitivity of (68)Ga-NOTA-RGD PET compared with (18)FDG PET may be a limitation for clinical application.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nuclear Medicine, Seoul National University College of Medicine, 101 Daehak-ro, Jongno-gu, Seoul, 110-744, Korea, paengjc@snu.ac.kr.
authors.forename: Jin Chul
authors.initials: JC
authors.lastname: Paeng
authors.forename: Yun-Sang
authors.initials: YS
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Jae Sung
authors.initials: JS
authors.lastname: Lee
authors.forename: Jae Min
authors.initials: JM
authors.lastname: Jeong
authors.forename: Ki-Bong
authors.initials: KB
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: June-Key
authors.initials: JK
authors.lastname: Chung
authors.forename: Dong Soo
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Lee
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000818:Animals; D050197:Atherosclerosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000378:metabolism*; D056831:Coordination Complexes / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D005240:Feasibility Studies; D006801:Humans; D007700:Kinetics; D051379:Mice; D008875:Middle Aged; D009842:Oligopeptides / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography / Q000379:methods*
chemical_list: C584295:68Ga-1,4,7-triazacyclononane-1,4-7-triacetic acid-isothiocyanatobenzyl-c(Arg-Gly-Asp-Tyr-Lys); D056831:Coordination Complexes; D009842:Oligopeptides