Brain tumors: detection with C-11 choline PET

• Published in: Radiology Vol. 202; no. 2; p. 497
• Main Authors: Shinoura, N, Nishijima, M, Hara, T, Haisa, T, Yamamoto, H, Fujii, K, Mitsui, I, Kosaka, N, Kondo, T
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: United States 01.02.1997
• Subjects: Adult; Aged; Animals; Brain Neoplasms - diagnostic imaging; Brain Neoplasms - metabolism; Child; Choline - pharmacokinetics; Female; Glioma - diagnostic imaging; Glioma - metabolism; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Oxygen Radioisotopes; Rats; Rats, Sprague-Dawley; Tomography, Emission-Computed; Tumor Cells, Cultured
• ISSN: 0033-8419; 1527-1315
• DOI: 10.1148/radiology.202.2.9015080

To evaluate the effectiveness of positron emission tomography (PET) with carbon-11 choline in brain tumor imaging. A rat glioma cell line (C6) was incubated with C-14 choline; the time course of uptake and metabolism was determined in vitro. C-11 choline was injected intravenously in tumor-bearing rats; the time course of distribution in organs was determined. C-11 choline also was injected intravenously in 20 patients (aged 6-86 years) with brain tumors and two volunteers (aged 38 and 58 years); distribution of the tracer in the brain was determined. Regional cerebral blood flow was measured by using oxygen-15 water on the same day. C-14 choline was metabolized to phosphoryl choline in glioma cells. The uptake of C-11 choline by glioblastoma cells was three to four times higher than that in the rat brain. All brain tumors took up more C-11 choline than did normal brain; thus, brain tumors that were not treated, as well as those that were treated with surgery or radiation therapy, were depicted. The tumor-normal brain uptake ratio of C-11 choline in brain tumor did not correlate with the O-15 water regional blood flow in the corresponding area. C-11 choline PET can depict brain tumors effectively. This method was clinically useful in patients who had undergone surgery.