title: Pilot study on18F-FDG PET/CT for detection of inflammatory changes in blood-induced knee arthropathy in a rabbit model.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  18F-FDG-PET/CT has a potential role in the early detection of haemophilic arthritis, at a time when treatment may still avoid further joint degeneration. The purposes of this pilot study were to determine the ability of18F-FDG-PET/CT to detect inflammatory changes associated with blood-induced arthropathy in knees of a rabbit model.
  
  
  METHODS
  Ten juvenile rabbits were imaged at baseline and weeks 5 and 17 post intraarticular autologous blood injections (ABI). Five rabbits in group 1 (G1) had ABI into the same knee joint every 2 weeks (total, eight injections). Five rabbits in group 2 (G2) had only two injections into the same knee, at weeks 5 and 17. Images were assessed visually and semi-quantitatively by measuring maximal standardized uptake values (SUVmax) and standardized uptake ratio (SUR = SUVmax in affected knee/SUVmax in non-affected knee).
  
  
  RESULTS
  More rabbits in G1 than G2 presented with positive chronic inflammatory synovial scores at week 17. Mean iron staining scores in injected knees were greater for G1 than for G2 (P = 0.049). No increased uptake was identified in the injected knees in any of the rabbits at baseline or at week 5. At week 17, all G1 rabbits demonstrated increased uptake in their affected knees with higher mean SUVmax (1.5) than normal knees (1.0) (P < 0.02). None of the G2 rabbits showed asymmetric increased uptake. The SUR of G1 was higher at week 17 compared to baseline (P < 0.01) and week 5 (P < 0.01). The SUR at week 17 was higher for G1 than for G2 (1.13) rabbits (P < 0.01).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  18F-FDG-PET is able to detect the inflammatory changes associated with haemophilic arthropathy in this experimental model.
authors.affiliation: Department of Diagnostic Imaging, The Hospital for Sick Children, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Shammas
authors.affiliation: Department of Diagnostic Imaging, The Hospital for Sick Children, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
authors.forename: A S
authors.initials: AS
authors.lastname: Doria
authors.affiliation: Department of Diagnostic Imaging, The Hospital for Sick Children, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
authors.forename: A
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Amirabadi
authors.affiliation: Department of Diagnostic Imaging, The Hospital for Sick Children, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Gahunia
authors.affiliation: Department of Pathology, Mount Sinai Hospital, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Jong
authors.affiliation: Department of Diagnostic Imaging, The Hospital for Sick Children, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Charron
authors.affiliation: Department of Family and Community Medicine, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Moineddin
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Princess Margaret Hospital, University of Toronto, Toronto, ON, Canada.
authors.forename: U
authors.initials: U
authors.lastname: Metser
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D004195:Disease Models, Animal; D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18 / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D006801:Humans; D007592:Joint Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D007719:Knee Joint / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008297:Male; D010865:Pilot Projects; D000072078:Positron Emission Tomography Computed Tomography; D011817:Rabbits
chemical_list: D019788:Fluorodeoxyglucose F18
keywords: 
  FDG
  ; 
  PET
  ; blood-induced arthropathy; rabbits