Bimodal Thrombus Imaging: Simultaneous PET/MR Imaging with a Fibrin-targeted Dual PET/MR Probe-Feasibility Study in Rat Model

Purpose: To image thrombus by using magnetic resonance (MR) imaging and positron emission tomography (PET) simultaneously in a rat arterial thrombus model with a dual PET/MR probe. Materials and Methods: Animal studies were approved by the institutional animal use committee. A dual PET/MR probe was synthesized by means of partial exchange of gadolinium for copper 64 (Cu-64) in the fibrin-targeted MR probe EP-2104R. A preformed 25-mm thrombus was injected into the right internal carotid artery of a rat. Imaging was performed with a clinical 3.0-T MR imager with an MR-compatible human PET imager. Rats (n = 5) were imaged prior to and after systemic administration of the dual probe by using simultaneous PET/MR. The organ distribution of Cu-64 and gadolinium was determined ex vivo (n = 8), 2 hours after injection by using well counting and inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry, respectively. Signal intensity ratios (SIRs) between the thrombus-containing and contralateral vessel were computed from PET images and MR data before and after probe administration. Results: The dual probe was synthesized with greater than 98% radiochemical purity. Thrombus enhancement was observed in all five animals at both MR (SIR[postprobe]/SIR[preprobe] = 1.71 +/- 0.35, P = .0053) and PET (SIR = 1.85 +/- 0.48, P = .0087) after injection of the dual PET/MR probe. Ex vivo analysis at 2 hours after injection showed the highest Cu-64 and gadolinium concentrations, after the excretory organs (kidney and liver), to be in the thrombus. Conclusion: A fibrin-targeted dual PET/MR probe enables simultaneous, direct MR and PET imaging of thrombus. (C)RSNA, 2010