Simultaneous glucose metabolism and hypoxia PET imaging in Head and Neck squamous cell carcinoma

Dr. Eduardo Lage

Grant code: 

Awardee Organization:  Massachusetts Institute of Technology / CNIO (Spain)

Public Health Relevance Statement:  —

Project Start Date: 2013

Project End Date: 2015

Total Funding: —

MEDIC Personnel included in the grant / Role: Dr.Eduardo Lage / PI

Abstract Text: The main goal of this project is to develop a new protocol for personalized RT planning that is practical and cost-efective. We want to eliminate the need of several PET scans in different days for measuring glucose metabolism and hypoxia providing a more comprehensive view of the status of the disease. In a previous project, funded by the Madrid-MIT M+Vision Consortium, we developed a very innovative technique that allows simultaneous acquisition and signal separation of two PET radiotracers, one of them labeled with a conventional positron-emitting radionuclide, and the other with a radionuclide that emits positrons along with gamma photons. (¹²⁴I is one such positron + gamma-emitting radionuclide). Based on this method we can obtain images of glucose metabolism and hypoxia simultaneously. This provides perfect spatial and temporal registration of the two underlying tracers being studied, which is a great advantage for RT planning. Futhermore, since the dual tracer imaging technology is compatible with any existing PET/CT scanner, this would enable the acquisition of anatomical information (CT image) and complementary biological information (glucose metabolism and hypoxia) in a single scanning session.