Bremsstrahlung imaging of 90Y microspheres shows poor resemblance with distributions of 99mTc-MAA in liver

Sammanfattning

PURPOSE To study the resemblance between the distributions of pre- therapeutic 99mTc-MAA and therapeutic 90Y-microspheres, used for ra- dioembolization of liver tumours, making use of gamma- and bremsstrahlung imaging. Furthermore, to establish the accuracy of this method by compar- isons of spatial resolution and radioactivity, performed on line source in water phantom and on resected tumour and normal liver from patients previously treated with 90Y-microspheres. MATERIALS 3 patients diagnosed with liver tumours and planned for surgery; 1 with hepatocellular carcinoma and 2 with cholangiocarcinoma, were treated with SIRTEX R © 90Y-microspheres after standard diagnostic SPECT/CT imag- ing with 99mTc-MAA. The images acquired with gamma camera were com- pared regarding distributions of radioactivity; gamma radiation from the 99mTc-MAA distributions and bremsstrahlung from the distributions of 90Y- microspheres (the latter with a wide bremsstrahlung energy window). Resec- tions of tumour- and some normal liver tissues were performed on all three patients; the resected tissues were sliced, smaller samples were punched out and the radioactivity was measured with a NaI-detector. Furthermore, autoradiography was performed on some slices. A line source with the in- ner diameter 1 mm was positioned in a cylindrical water phantom with the diameter 20 cm; first the line source was filled with 99mTc, then emptied and filled with 90Y. SPECT/CT imaging was performed on both line source se- tups. The spatial resolutions for both radionuclides were then compared. The results from the imaging comparisons performed on the patients were then evaluated with the complementary radiological methods described above. RESULTS The comparison of images from 99mTc-MAA and 90Y showed a considerable deviance in activity distribution for two of the patients. One ex- ample is shown in the figure, the upper image showing 99mTc-MAA and the lower showing 90Y-microspheres. The moderate difference in spatial resolu- tions for 99mTc and 90Y, (15 vs 18 mm FWHM) confirmed the accuracy of these findings. The other radiological methods did also confirm the macro- scopic activity distribution as shown with bremsstrahlung imaging. CONCLUSIONS Bremsstrahlung imaging is a satisfying and reliable method in showing the actual macroscopic distribution of therapeutic 90Y-microspheres used for radioembolization of liver tumours. The results further demonstrate the need for a better diagnostic method than the one currently used, with 99mTc-MAA, thereby providing a better pre-dosimetry; hopefully with a better selection of patients, regarding tumour regression and a lower risk of liver failure.