Evaluation of 131I-Pentamidine for scintigraphy of experimentally Leishmania tropica-infected hamsters
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Abstract
We aimed to assess the ability of I-131-Pentamidine scintigraphy to detect the lesions of Leishmania tropica infection. An experimental model of cutaneous leishmaniasis was developed. The presence of cutaneous leishmaniasis was confirmed. Pentamidine was radioiodinated with I-131. The radiolabeled pentamidine was validated by the requisite quality control tests to check its radiolabeling efficiency, in vitro stability. I-131-Pentamidine (activity: 18.5 MBq/100 mu l) was injected intracardiacally into infected hamsters. Static whole body images of the hamsters were acquired under the gamma camera at 5 and 30 min, 2, 6 and 24 h following the administration. On the scintigrams, anatomically adjusted regions of interest (ROIs) were drawn over the right feet (target) and left feet (not-target) and various organs. Accumulation of I-131-Pentamidine at sites of infection is expressed as the target to non-target (T/NT) ratio. The results T/NT ratio decreased with time. In concluding the I-131-Pentamidine has poor sensitivity in detection of L. tropica infection.