Our aim was to evaluate the early effect of local irradiation on normal bone marrow glucose metabolism in rodents, assessed by FDG biodistribution measured by tissue excision and gamma counting. Sixty-one rats were divided into nine... more
Our aim was to evaluate the early effect of local irradiation on normal bone marrow glucose metabolism in rodents, assessed by FDG biodistribution measured by tissue excision and gamma counting. Sixty-one rats were divided into nine groups (n = 4-11 per group). Eight groups of rats received either local irradiation (10 Gy) or sham irradiation to the right femur on day 0. Irradiation was performed using a 60Co gamma-ray unit under anesthesia. Each group of rats was fasted overnight and then injected with 5.5-7.4 MBq FDG on day 1, 9, 18, or 30 after the local or sham irradiation. A control group of rats that received neither local nor sham irradiation was studied with FDG on day 0. 18F activity in tissue 1 h after injection was measured using a gamma counter. Smear specimens of bone marrow from bilateral femurs were examined by light microscopy. Tracer uptake was relatively stable in marrow from the sham-irradiated rats. By contrast, FDG uptake of the irradiated marrow on day 1 was si...