A tracer kinetic model for 18F-FHBG for quantitating herpes simplex virus type 1 thymidine kinase reporter gene expression in living animals using PET.

Abstract

18F-FHBG equilibrates rapidly between plasma and whole blood in mice. Heart image time-activity curves corrected for partial-volume effects well approximate LV time-activity curves and can be used as input functions for 2- and 3-compartment models. The model parameter k3 from the 3-compartment model can be used as a noninvasive estimate for HSV1-sr39TK reporter protein activity and can predict the relative percentage of metabolites.