Radionuclide cisternography (RNC) is a method for conducting imaging of the cerebrospinal system and can be used to identify cerebrospinal fluid leaks. So far, RNC has commonly employed radiopharmaceutical agents suitable only for single-photon emission tomography techniques, which are thus lacking in terms of image resolution and can potentially lead to false-negative results. Therefore, [64Cu]Cu-DOTA was investigated as an alternative radiopharmaceutical for RNC, employing positron emission tomography (PET) instead of single-photon emission tomography. A formulation of [64Cu]Cu-DOTA was produced according to the guidelines for good manufacturing practice. The product met the requirements of agents suitable for intrathecal application. [64Cu]Cu-DOTA was administered to a patient and compared to the approved scintigraphic RNC agent, [111In]In-DTPA. While no cerebrospinal fluid leak was detected with [111In]In-DTPA, [64Cu]Cu-DOTA RNC exhibited a posterolateral leak between the vertebral bodies C1 and C2. Thus, in this patient, PET RNC with [64Cu]Cu-DOTA was superior to RNC with [111In]In-DTPA. Since radiopharmaceuticals have a very good safety profile regarding the occurrence of adverse events, PET RNC with [64Cu]Cu-DOTA may become an attractive alternative to scintigraphic methods, and also to computed tomography or magnetic resonance imaging, which often require contrast agents, causing adverse events to occur much more frequently.
Keywords: Cu-64 DOTA; Cu-64 radiopharmaceuticals; N,O ligands; cerebrospinal fluid leak; cisternography; intrathecal injections; radionuclide cisternography.