The malarial infection can alter the normal biodistribution of a radiopharmaceutical?

Abstract

Objective: Infection with Plasmodium berghei is a model of murine malaria widely used in experimental studies, similar to Plasmodium falciparum in humans. The aim of this study was to investigate in vivo the influence of P. berghei infection on the biodistribution of sodium pertechnetate (Na99mTcO4) in mice. Methods: 14 Swiss mice were divided into two groups: control (n=7) and treated (n=7). Treated group were inoculated with 1x105 P. berghei infected red blood cells each. On the 15th day, the infected group and the control group received 0.1 mL (0.66 MBq) of Na99mTcO4. After 40 minutes, all animals were killed and kidney, liver, stomach and blood samples were isolated and the percentage of radioactivity per gram of tissue (%ATI/g) was determined. Parts of tissue samples were used for histological analysis. Data were compared by t-Student test and Mann-Whitney test, considering p<0.05 statistically significant. Results: No statistically significant difference in uptake of ATI%/g was observed in any of the organs. Statistically significant histological changes were seen in the liver of the infected group (cell vacuolization and necrosis) and in the kidney (alterations in the parietal cells and mesangial cells). Conclusions: Although the histopathological finding of necrosis has been a significant result, this change did not alter the uptake of technetium-99m at the site of infection. The parasitic infection by acute malaria or the degree of liver injury probably will not affect the performance of nuclear medicine examinations.