Biodistribution and radiation dosimetry of D-isomer of 4-borono-2-[18F]fluoro-phenylalanine: A comparative PET/CT study with L-isomer in healthy human volunteers

Nucl Med Biol. 2021 Mar-Apr:94-95:32-37. doi: 10.1016/j.nucmedbio.2020.12.006. Epub 2021 Jan 8.

Abstract

Introduction: L-isomer of 4-borono-2-18F-fluoro-phenylalanine (L-[18F]FBPA) was generally applied in clinic for boron neutron capture therapy (BNCT). With radiotracer validation, D-isomer of [18F]FBPA (D-[18F]FBPA) was found a higher tumor to normal brain tissue ratio (TBR) than its L-isomer on positron emission tomography (PET) in rat brain glioma. The present study was conducted as a first-in-human study to explore the biodistribution and radiation dosimetry of D-[18F]FBPA in healthy human volunteers, compared with L-[18F]FBPA.

Methods: D-[18F]FBPA or L-[18F]FBPA was injected intravenously. Five whole-body PET scans were performed for each subject in the next 2 h. Organ time-activity curves were drawn by measuring SUVmean in volumes of interest. Absorbed dose coefficient of target organs and effective dose (ED) were estimated on OLINDA/EXM.

Results: Two healthy volunteers (both males) and three healthy volunteers (2 males, 1 female) were intravenously injected with D-[18F]FBPA (5.5-7.2 MBq/kg) and L-[18F]FBPA (3.9-6.8 MBq/kg) respectively. Only limited accumulation of D-[18F]FBPA was observed in healthy human brain, pancreas, liver, spleen and skeleton. The ED was calculated to be 0.026 mSv/MBq. Urinary bladder wall received the highest dose of 0.28 mGy/MBq, followed by kidneys (0.06 mGy/MBq), and all the other organs received less than 0.03 mGy/MBq. For L-[18F]FBPA, higher uptake in brain, pancreas, liver, spleen and skeleton could be visualized, compared with D-[18F]FBPA. The ED of L-[18F]FBPA was 0.020 ± 0.001 mSv/MBq. Urinary bladder wall and kidneys still received the highest dose among organs but with lower values than those of D-[18F]FBPA.

Conclusions: D-[18F]FBPA had lower activity in normal brain, liver, spleen, pancreas and skeleton, compared with its L-isomer. D-[18F]FBPA is safe from a radiological standpoint.

Advances in knowledge and implications for patient care: D-[18F]FBPA was safe from a radiological standpoint, and had lower activity in normal brain, liver, spleen, pancreas and skeleton than its L-isomer. This study ensures the safety and validity of D-[18F]FBPA for further clinical trials in patients with cancer.

Keywords: BNCT; Biodistribution; D-[(18)F]FBPA; PET; Radiation dosimetry.

Publication types

  • Research Support, Non-U.S. Gov't

MeSH terms

  • Female
  • Fluorine Radioisotopes*
  • Healthy Volunteers*
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Phenylalanine / chemistry*
  • Phenylalanine / pharmacokinetics*
  • Positron Emission Tomography Computed Tomography*
  • Radiometry
  • Stereoisomerism
  • Tissue Distribution

Substances

  • Fluorine Radioisotopes
  • Phenylalanine
  • Fluorine-18