Rabbit systemic glucose metabolism map by total-body dynamic PET/CT technology

BACKGROUND: This study evaluated total-body glucose metabolism in a preclinical lab animal, the rabbit, by employing a dynamic glucose metabolic image obtained with total-body fluorine-18 fluorodeoxyglucose ((18)F-FDG) PET/computed tomography (PET/CT). METHODS: The dynamic total-body PET/CT system was used to obtain glucose metabolic imaging from 10 sedated body-matched rabbits. The standard uptake value (SUV) of (18)F-FDG was used to evaluate glucose metabolism. In addition, the correlation between glucose metabolism and sexes was assessed, as well as metabolic differences between left- and right sides. RESULTS: We found significant distribution heterogeneity of glucose in several organs across the entire body. There were no significant metabolic differences between sexes and between bilateral sides in the 10 rabbits. Thereafter, we assayed the major organ SUV changes by dynamic PET/CT of the major organs. The heart, liver, and urinary system showed more (18)F-FDG, whereas the skeletal muscle, brain, spinal cord, and lungs incorporated less (18)F-FDG. The phenotype of (18)F-FDG uptake was highly correlated with the physiological functions. The (18)F-FDG accumulation in urinary system were observed which could reflect the renal parenchyma glucose metabolism indirectly. However, the low (18)F-FDG uptake in the brain and spinal cord was due to sedation. CONCLUSION: The total-body glucose metabolic atlas depicted with (18)F-FDG dynamic PET/CT may be used as a reference for assessing pathological (18)F-FDG uptake. Furthermore, this study could be a reference for preclinical research involving abnormality of glucose metabolism.