In this featured scientific publication, the authors illustrate that combining low-dose, high-resolution SPECT imaging with a specific tracer for cell death can provide a detailed readout of the cellular response to novel therapies and assist in the design of individualized cancer therapies.
By assessing treatment-induced changes in small animal tumors with 99mTc-duramycin SPECT and 18F-FDG PET imaging, the authors demonstrated that 99mTc-duramycin specifically accumulates in apoptotic tumors in which 18F-FDG was not able to differentiate responding from non-responding tumors early after treatment. 99mTc-duramycin holds therefore promise as a noninvasive imaging radiotracer for early treatment evaluation in the clinic.
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