E-Cigarette Aerosol Deposition and Disposition of [(11)C]Nicotine Using Positron Emission Tomography: A Comparison of Nicotine Uptake in Lungs and Brain Using Two Different Nicotine Formulations

Smoking is a cause of serious disease in smokers. Electronic cigarettes, delivering aerosolized nicotine, offer adult smokers a potentially less harmful alternative to combustible cigarettes. This explorative PET/CT study investigated the distribution and deposition of inhaled [(11)C]nicotine using the myblu(TM) e-cigarette with two nicotine formulations, freebase and lactate salt. Fifteen healthy adult smokers participated in the two-part study to assess the distribution and accumulation of [(11)C]nicotine in the respiratory pathways and brain. Time-activity data for the respiratory pathways, lungs, oesophagus and brain were derived. 31–36% of both inhaled tracer formulations accumulated in the lung within 15–35 s. [(11)C]Nicotine(freebase) exhibited higher uptake and deposition in the upper respiratory pathways. For [(11)C]nicotine(lactate), brain deposition peaked at 4–5%, with an earlier peak and a steeper decline. A different kinetic profile was obtained for [(11)C]nicotine(lactate) with lower tracer uptake and accumulation in the upper respiratory pathways and an earlier peak and a steeper decline in lung and brain. Using nicotine lactate formulations in e-cigarettes may thus contribute to greater adult smoker acceptance and satisfaction compared to freebase formulations, potentially aiding a transition from combustible cigarettes and an acceleration of tobacco harm reduction initiatives.