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Purpose: Studies have established the value of [(methyl)1-(11)C]-acetate ([(11)C]Act) combined with 2-deoxy-2[(18)F]fluoro-D-glucose (FDG) for detecting hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC) using positron emission tomography (PET). In this study, the metabolic fate of [(11)C]Act in HCC was characterized.Methods: Experiments with acetic acid [1-(14)C] sodium salt ([(14)C]Act) were carried out on WCH-17 cells and freshly derived rat hepatocytes. PET scans with [(11)C]Act were also carried out on woodchucks with HCC before injection of [(14)C]Act. The radioactivity levels in different metabolites were quantified with thin-layer chromatography.Results: In WCH-17 cells, the predominant metabolite was phosphatidylcholine (PC). Regions of HCCs with the highest [(11)C]Act uptake had higher radioactivity accumulation in lipid-soluble compounds than surrounding hepatic tissues. In those regions, PC and triacylglycerol (TG) accumulated more radioactivity than in surrounding hepatic tissues.Conclusions: High [(11)C]Act uptake in HCC is associated with increased de novo lipogenesis. PC and TG are the main metabolites into which the radioactive label from [(11)C]Act is incorporated in HCC. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Purpose: The Eastern woodchuck (Marmota monax) is considered as a naturally occurring animal model of hepatocellular carcinoma (HCC). The performance of 2-deoxy-2-[F-18]fluoro-D-glucose (FDG) for imaging HCC on the woodchuck using Positron emission tomography (PET) was investigated in this study.Procedures: Dynamic FDG-PET scans were performed on five woodchucks with HCC and one healthy woodchuck before removal and processing of the liver tissues for histology. The parameters of a two-tissue compartment model with dual input were estimated using weighted least squares (WLS).Results: Ten HCCs were confirmed histologically. Six HCCs had a tumor-to-liver standardized uptake value (SUV) ratio < or =1.15, a k (4) / k (3) ratio similar to that in hepatic tissues and were well-differentiated. Four HCCs had a tumor-to-liver SUV ratio >1.15, a lower k (4) / k (3) ratio than the hepatic tissues and were moderately differentiated.Conclusions: Increased FDG uptake was observed in HCCs that were the least differentiated and correlated with a lower k (4) / k (3) ratio. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]