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Evaluation of myocardial metabolism, with /sup 13/N- and /sup 11/C-labeled amino acids and positron computed tomography

Journal Article · · J. Nucl. Med.; (United States)
OSTI ID:6581362

To evaluate the utility of labeled L-amino acids (AA) for imaging regional myocardial AA metabolism by positron computed tomography (PCT), the myocardial uptake and clearance of Ala,* Glu, Gln, Asp, Leu tagged with /sup 13/N, and of /sup 11/C-tagged Asp, and oxaloacetate (Oxal), were examined in 44 experiments at control, during ischemia, and after transaminase inhibition. The myocardial time-activity curves recorded after intracoronary tracer injection had two clearance phases (an early and a late) for all /sup 13/N AA, and three (early, intermediate, late) for the two /sup 11/C compounds, with significantly different clearance half-times of 18.7 +/- 8.0 (s.d.) sec for the early phase, 141.7 +/- 56.5 sec for the intermediate, and 61.2 +/- 43.5 min for the late phase. The residual fractions ranged from 0.07 to 0.23 in normal myocardium, and consistently increased with ischemia by 0.01-0.07 for /sup 13/N-labeled Ala, Glu, Asp, and Leu, but not for /sup 13/N Gln and /sup 11/C compounds. Transaminase inhibition shortened the half-times of the late phases of /sup 13/N-labeled Ala, Glu, Asp, and Leu; had no effect on t1/2 of /sup 13/N Gln and /sup 11/C Oxal; and resulted in a loss of /sup 11/C CO/sub 2/ production and of the intermediate phase for /sup 11/C Asp. On the PCT images, /sup 13/N activity from labeled Ala and Glu was not decreased in an ischemic segment despite a significant flow reduction, as demonstrated by /sup 13/N NH/sub 3/ imaging and labeled microspheres. From the results, a three-compartment tracer kinetic model is proposed for the noninvasive quantification of Krebscycle activity, protein synthesis, and metabolic derangements related to ischemia.

Research Organization:
UCLA School of Medicine, University of California at Los Angeles, California
OSTI ID:
6581362
Journal Information:
J. Nucl. Med.; (United States), Journal Name: J. Nucl. Med.; (United States) Vol. 23:8; ISSN JNMEA
Country of Publication:
United States
Language:
English