Clinical cerenkov luminescence imaging of 18F-FDG

Abstract

The aim of this study was to determine the feasibility of Cerenkov luminescence (CL) imaging of patients undergoing diagnostic 18FFDG scans to detect nodal disease. Methods: Patients undergoing routine 18F-FDG PET/CT for various malignancies consented to being scanned for CL. White-light and Cerenkov images (5-min acquisition) of the surface of the patient contralateral to and at the site of nodal 18F-FDG uptake were acquired using a cooled, intensified charge-coupled-device camera. Results: The camera demonstrated linear correlation between activity and counts into the low nanocurie range using 18F-FDG. Imaging of patients revealed the presence of 18F-FDG uptake in nodes that demonstrated uptake on PET. A correlation between maximum standardized uptake value from PET and counting rate per area on the CL imaging was established. Conclusion: CL imaging with diagnostic doses of 18F-FDG is feasible and can aid in detecting disease in the clinical setting. Copyright © 2014 by the Society of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging, Inc.