PET/CT imaging detects intestinal inflammation in a mouse model of doxorubicin-induced mucositis

IntroductionA severe side effect of cancer chemotherapy is the development of gastrointestinal mucositis, characterised by mucosal inflammation. We investigated if 2-deoxy-2-[F-18] fluoro-D-glucose positron emission tomography combined with computed tomography (2-[F-18]FDG-PET/CT) could visualise gastrointestinal mucositis in mice treated with the chemotherapeutic agent doxorubicin. MethodsIn this study, gastrointestinal inflammation was longitudinally evaluated by 2-[F-18]FDG-PET/CT scans before and 1, 3, 6, and 10 days after treatment with doxorubicin. Doxorubicin-treated mice were compared to saline-treated littermates using the abdominal standard uptake value of 2-[F-18]FDG corrected for body weight (SUVBW). ResultsAbdominal SUVBW was significantly increased on day 1 (p < 0.0001), day 3 (p < 0.0001), and day 6 (p < 0.05) in the doxorubicin-treated group compared to controls. Abdominal SUVBW returned to baseline levels on day 10. In the doxorubicin group, the largest weight loss was observed on day 3 (control vs doxorubicin, mean percent of baseline weight: (98.5 +/- 3.2% vs 87.9 +/- 4.6%, p < 0.0001). Moreover, in the doxorubicin-treated group, villus lengths were decreased by 23-28% on days 1 and 3 in the small intestine (p < 0.05), and jejunal levels of tumour necrosis factor and interleukin-1 beta were significantly increased on day 3 (p < 0.05). DiscussionTogether, these findings indicate that sequential 2-[F-18]FDG-PET/CT scans can objectively quantify and evaluate the development and resolution of intestinal inflammation over time in a mouse model of doxorubicin-induced mucositis.

Automated summary

This study used 2-[F-18]FDG-PET/CT scans to quantitatively evaluate the development and resolution of doxorubicin-induced gastrointestinal mucositis in mice. The results showed that abdominal SUVBW significantly increased in the doxorubicin-treated group, along with weight loss, decreased villus lengths, and increased levels of tumor necrosis factor and interleukin-1 beta.