Quantitative Tumor Apoptosis Imaging Using Technetium-99m–HYNIC Annexin V Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography

Purpose: Radiolabeled annexin V may allow for repetitive and selective in vivo identification of apoptotic cell death without the need for invasive biopsy. This study reports on the relationship between quantitative technetium-99m– (99mTc-) 6-hydrazinonicotinic (HYNIC) radiolabeled annexin V tumor uptake, and the number of tumor apoptotic cells derived from histologic analysis. Patients and Methods: Twenty patients (18 men, two women) suspected of primary (n = 19) or recurrent (n = 1) head and neck carcinoma were included. All patients underwent a spiral computed tomography (CT) scan, 99mTc-HYNIC annexin V tomography, and subsequent surgical resection of the suspected primary or recurrent tumor. Quantitative 99mTc-HYNIC annexin V uptake in tumor lesions divided by the tumor volume, derived from CT, was related to the number of apoptotic cells per tumor high-power field derived from terminal deoxynucleotidyl transferase–mediated deoxyuridine triphosphate-biotin nick end-labeling (TUNEL) assays performed on...