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The goal of this study was to evaluate the differences and define the advantages of imaging experimental brain tumors in rats with two nonmetabolized amino acids, 1-aminocyclopentane carboxylic (ACPC) acid and α-aminoisobutyric (AIB) acid compared with imaging with fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) or the gallium-diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid chelate (Ga-DTPA). 1-aminocyclopentane carboxylic acid, AIB, and FDG autoradiograms were obtained 60 minutes after intravenous injection to simulate positron emission tomography (PET) imaging, whereas the Ga-DTPA autoradiograms were obtained 5 or 10 minutes after injection to simulate gadolinium (Gd)-DTPA–enhanced magnetic resonance (MR) images. Three experimental tumors were studied (C6, RG2, and Walker 256) to provide a range of tumor types. Triple-label quantitative autoradiography was performed, and parametric images of the apparent distribution volume (Va, mL/g) for ACPC or AIB, relative glucose metabolism (R, μmol/100 g/min), vascular permeability to Ga-DTPA (K1, μL/min/g), and histology were obtained from the same tissue section. The four images were registered in an image array processor, and regions of interest in tumor and contralateral brain were defined on morphologic criteria (histology) and were transferred to the autoradiographic images. A comparative analysis of all measured values was performed. The location and morphologic characteristics of the tumor had an effect on the images and measurements of Va, R, and K1. Meningeal extensions of all three tumors consistently had the highest amino acid uptake (Va) and vascular permeability (K1) values, and subcortical portions of the tumors usually had the lowest values. Va and R (FDG) values generally were higher in tumor regions with high-cell density and lower in regions with low-cell density. Tumor areas identified as “impending” necrosis on morphologic criteria consistently had high R values, but little or no change in Va or K1. Tumor necrosis was seen consistently only in the larger Walker 256 tumors; low values of R and Va for AIB (less for ACPC) were measured in the necrotic-appearing regions, whereas K1 was not different from the mean tumor value. The highest correlations were observed between vascular permeability (K1 for Ga-DTPA) and Va for AIB in all three tumors; little or no correlation between vascular permeability and R was observed. The advantages of ACPC and AIB imaging were most convincingly demonstrated in C6 gliomas and in Walker 256 tumors. 1-aminocyclopentane was substantially better than FDG or Ga-DTPA for identifying tumor infiltration of adjacent brain tissue beyond the macroscopic border of the tumor; ACPC also may be useful for identifying low-grade tumors with an intact blood–brain barrier. Contrast-enhancing regions of the tumors were visualized more clearly with AIB than with FDG or Ga-DTPA; viable and necrotic-appearing tumor regions could be distinguished more readily with AIB than with FDG. [11C]-labeled ACPC and AIB are likely to have similar advantages for imaging human brain tumors with PET.

A simplified mathematical model is described for the measurement of regional cerebral blood flow by positron emission tomography in man, based on a modification of the autoradiographic strategy originally developed for experimental animal studies. A modified ramp intravenous infusion of radiolabeled tracer is used; this results in a monotonically increasing curvilinear arterial activity curve that may be accurately described by a polynomial of low degree (= z). Integrated cranial activity C̄ B is measured in regions of interest during the latter portion of the tracer infusion period (times T1 to T2). It is shown that [Formula: see text] where each of the terms A x is a readily evaluated function of the blood flow rate constant k, the brain:blood partition coefficient for the tracer, the cranial activity integration limits T1 and T2, the coefficients of the polynomial describing the arterial curve, and an iteration factor n that is chosen to yield the desired degree of precision. This relationship permits generation of a table of C̄ B vs. k, thus facilitating on-line computer solution for blood flow. This in vivo autoradiographic paradigm was validated in a series of rats by comparing it to the classical autoradiographic strategy developed by Kety and associates. Excellent agreement was demonstrated between blood flow values obtained by the two methods: CBF in vivo = CBFclassical X 0.99 − 0.02 (units in ml g−1 min−1; correlation coefficient r = 0.966).

No method has been reported for measuring CBF, repeatedly and noninvasively, in the rat brain. A new method is described, which is noninvasive to the brain, skull, or cervical large vessels. Two pairs of coincidence detectors were positioned, one over the rat brain and the other at the loop of a catheter inserted into the femoral artery. The coincidence head curve and arterial curve were recorded after intravenous injection of 1-[11C]butanol in 15 rats. CBF was calculated by one-compartment curve fitting (CBFo) from 1-min data and with the recirculation corrected height/area method from 3-min data (CBFh · 3min) and 5-min data (CBFh · 5min). CBFo agreed well with CBFh · 5min, although a slight overestimation was observed in CBFh · 3min. The normal CBFo in the normocapnic group (n = 6, paco2 36.7 ± 2.3 mm Hg) was 1.76 ± 0.49 ml/g min (mean ± SD). A good correlation was observed between CBFo ( y) and Paco2 ( x), and the regression line was y = 0.0629 x – 0.715 (r = 0.88, p < 0.0001). We concluded that this method gives the stable blood flow values noninvasively and with a minimum loss of blood (