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Title: Fluorine-18-fluorodeoxygglucose-guided breast cancer surgery with a positron-sensitive probe: Validation in preclinical studies

Journal Article · · Journal of Nuclear Medicine
OSTI ID:478319
; ; ; ;  [1]
  1. Univ. of Michigan Medical Center, Ann Arbor, MI (United States)

In this study, the feasibility of utilizing 2-deoxy-2-fluoro-d-glucose (FDG) in conjunction with a positron-sensitive intraoperative probe to guide breast tumor excision was investigated. The probe was constructed with a plastic scintillator tip coupled to a photomultiplier tube with fiber optic cable. Anticipated resolution degradation was evaluated by measurement of line spread functions in the presence of background radiation. Realistic photon background distributions were simulated with a human torso phantom and a cardiac insert. The relationship between resolution and energy threshold was measured to find the optimal discriminator settings. In addition, probe sensitivity as a function of energy threshold was determined for various size-simulated tumors. Finally, the ability to localize breast cancers in vivo was tested in a rodent model. Mammary rat tumors implanted in Lewis rats were examined after injection with FDG; these results were correlated with those of histologic analyses. Measurements of line spread functions indicated that resolution could be maximized in a realistic background photon environment by increasing the energy threshold to levels at or above the Compton continuum edge (340 keV). At this setting, the probe`s sensitivity was determined to be 58 and 11 cps/{mu}Ci for 3.18- and 6.35-mm diameter simulated tumors, respectively. Probe readings correlated well with histologic results; the probe was generally able to discriminate between tumor and normal tissue. This study indicates that breast cancer surgery guided by a positron-sensitive probe warrants future evaluation in breast-conserving surgery of patients with breast cancer. 23 refs., 5 figs.

OSTI ID:
478319
Journal Information:
Journal of Nuclear Medicine, Vol. 36, Issue 10; Other Information: PBD: Oct 1995
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English