A “Proteoglycan Targeting Strategy” for the Scintigraphic Imaging and Monitoring of the Swarm Rat Chondrosarcoma Orthotopic Model

Abstract EN

Our lab developed 99mTc-NTP 15-5 radiotracer as targeting proteoglycans (PGs) for the scintigraphic imaging of joint.

This paper reports preclinical results of 99mTc-NTP 15-5 imaging of an orthotopic model of Swarm rat chondrosarcoma (SRC).

99mTc-NTP 15-5 imaging of SRC-bearing and sham-operated animals was performed and quantified at regular intervals after surgery and compared to bone scintigraphy and tumoural volume.

Tumours were characterized by histology and PG assay.

SRC exhibited a significant 99mTc-NTP 15-5 uptake at very early stage after implant (with tumour/muscle ratio of 1.61 ± 0.14), whereas no measurable tumour was evidenced.

As tumour grew, mean tumour/muscle ratio was increased by 2.4, between the early and late stage of pathology.

Bone scintigraphy failed to image chondrosarcoma, even at the later stage of study.

99mTc-NTP 15-5 imaging provided a suitable set of quantitative criteria for the in vivo characterization of chondrosarcoma behaviour in bone environment, useful for achieving a greater understanding of the pathology.