Positron Emission Tomography Imaging of Macrophages in Atherosclerosis with ¹⁸F-GE-180, a Radiotracer for Translocator Protein (TSPO)

Figure 2

Representative in vivo PET/CT images. (a) Coronal PET/CT image shows the sum of ¹⁸F-GE-180 radioactivity within 0–30 minutes after injection in a healthy C57BL/6N mouse. High radioactivity concentration is seen in the lungs (L), myocardium (M), and in the intestine and its contents (I). Close-up of the thoracic area is shown, with an arrow pointing to the aortic arch. Left and right ventricles as well as septum (LV, RV, and S) are annotated in the CT image. (b) Mean time-activity curves derived from six C57BL/6N mice show rapid peaking in the lung radioactivity concentration. (c) PET/CT in LDLR^–/–ApoB^100/100 mice. In the thoracic close-up, the arrow points to a plaque in the aortic arch. (d) Mean time-activity curves derived from six LDLR^–/–ApoB^100/100 mice. (e) The effect of preinjection with nonradioactive GE-180 to the ¹⁸F-GE-180 distribution. Radioactivity concentration is increased in the gallbladder (G), intestine and its contents, and brown adipose tissue (BAT) and decreased in the lungs and myocardium. Close-up of the thoracic area is shown, with an arrow pointing to plaque in the aortic arch. (d) Mean time-activity curves derived from three LDLR^–/–ApoB^100/100 mice preinjected with nonradioactive GE-180. Highest radioactivity concentration is observed in the intestine and its contents.

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