In Vivo Reactive Oxygen Species Detection With a Novel Positron Emission Tomography Tracer, 18F-DHMT, Allows for Early Detection of Anthracycline-Induced Cardiotoxicity in Rodents

Reactive oxygen species (ROS) are involved in doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity. The authors investigated the efficacy of F-18-DHMT, a marker of ROS, for early detection of doxorubicin-induced cardiotoxicity in rats. Echocardiography was performed at baseline and 4, 6, and 8 weeks post-doxorubicin initiation, whereas in vivo superoxide production was measured at 4 and 6 weeks with F-18-DHMT positron emission tomography. Left ventricular ejection fraction (LVEF) was not significantly decreased until 6 weeks post-doxorubicin treatment, whereas myocardial superoxide production was significantly elevated at 4 weeks. F-18-DHMT imaging detected an elevation in cardiac superoxide production before a fall in LVEF in rodents and may allow for early cardiotoxicity detection in cancer patients. (C) 2018 The Authors. Published by Elsevier on behalf of the American College of Cardiology Foundation.