Abstract
We aimed to assess the ability of 131I-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 131I. The radiolabeled pentamidine was validated by the requisite quality control tests to check its radiolabeling efficiency, in vitro stability. 131I-Pentamidine (activity: 18.5 MBq/100 µl) 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 131I-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 131I-Pentamidine has poor sensitivity in detection of L. tropica infection.
Acknowledgements
We thank to Prof. Dr Umit Inceboz (Balikesir University, Turkey) and Mehmet Çalan (MD) for his kind contributions to review and the statistical analysis of the study.