Adrenal imaging with technetium-99m-labelled low density lipoproteins

Journal Article · Tue Apr 01 04:00:00 EST 1986 · Metab., Clin. Exp.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/0026-0495(86)90156-3· OSTI ID:5592319

Isaacsohn, J L; Lees, A M; Lees, R S; Strauss, H W; Barlai-Kovach, M; Moore, T J

Evaluation of adrenal cortical function by external imaging is currently accomplished by injection of radiolabelled analogs of cholesterol. Although the adrenals do utilized exogenous cholesterol for steroid hormone synthesis, the cholesterol is delivered to the glands not as free cholesterol but through the uptake of low density lipoproteins (LDL), which are subsequently degraded within the adrenal cortical cells to provide cholesterol. Thus, we sought to assess the use of /sup 99m/Tc-labelled LDL injected into rabbits to obtain external images of the adrenal glands. Adrenal images of all nine rabbits tested were obtained within 18 to 21 hours after injection of /sup 99m/Tc-LDL. Seven of the rabbits were subjected to adrenal cortical suppression with dexamethasone and then all nine rabbits were imaged a second time. In the untreated animals, visualization of the adrenal glands was accompanied by normal serum cortisol concentrations and accumulation of radiolabel in the adrenals, whereas in the dexamethasone-treated animals, lack of visualization of the adrenal glands was correlated with low serum cortisols, and greatly decreased accumulation of the radionuclide in the adrenals. These findings demonstrate for the first time that LDL, when labelled with /sup 99m/Tc, can be used to evaluate adrenal cortical function by external imaging.

• Research Organization: New England Deaconess Hospital, Boston, MA
• OSTI ID: 5592319
• Journal Information: Metab., Clin. Exp.; (United States), Journal Name: Metab., Clin. Exp.; (United States) Vol. 4; ISSN METAA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

550201* -- Biochemistry-- Tracer Techniques
59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
ADRENAL GLANDS
ADRENAL HORMONES
ANIMALS
BETA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BETA-MINUS DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BODY
CORTICOSTEROIDS
DEXAMETHASONE
DYNAMIC FUNCTION STUDIES
ENDOCRINE GLANDS
GLANDS
GLUCOCORTICOIDS
HORMONES
HOURS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
HYDROCORTISONE
HYDROXY COMPOUNDS
INTERMEDIATE MASS NUCLEI
ISOMERIC NUCLEI
ISOMERIC TRANSITION ISOTOPES
ISOTOPE APPLICATIONS
ISOTOPES
KETONES
LABELLING
LIPIDS
LIPOPROTEINS
MAMMALS
NUCLEI
ODD-EVEN NUCLEI
ORGANIC COMPOUNDS
ORGANS
PREGNANES
PROTEINS
RABBITS
RADIOISOTOPES
STEROID HORMONES
STEROIDS
TECHNETIUM 99
TECHNETIUM ISOTOPES
TRACER TECHNIQUES
VERTEBRATES
YEARS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES