¹⁸F-FDG labelling of human leukocytes

Radiolabelled leukocytes are useful for the imaging of inflammation and infection, and ¹⁸F-fluorodeoxyglucose (¹⁸F-FDG) is known to concentrate in metabolically active cells. We evaluated the feasibility of leukocyte labelling with ¹⁸F-FDG using ACD and heparin anticoagulants at 20°C and 37°C, with and without gentle mixing during incubation. With leukocytes (WBC) harvested from 20 ml blood, studies were performed using ¹⁸F-FDG in concentrations of 3.7-74 MBq (0.1-2.0 mCi). ¹⁸F-FDG WBC stability in platelet-poor plasma was assessed at 1-4 h. Satisfactory labelling efficiency was achieved with incubation in heparin-saline at 37°C for 30 min (62.7±1.6%), and was further enhanced by mixing during incubation (78.1±3.9%). Cell labelling was predominantly of granulocytes (78.5±1.4%). ¹⁸F-FDG WBC was relatively stable in platelet-poor plasma for up to 4 h, and no cell staining was observed in viability studies using trypan blue. These results indicate the feasibility of leukocyte labelling with ¹⁸F-FDG, providing an approach that may be useful in PET imaging of inflammation and infection. (