zirconium-89 oxine-labeled leukocytes

Zirconium-89 oxine-labeled leukocytes are an autologous radiopharmaceutical diagnostic agent used for Positron Emission Tomography (PET) imaging of infection and inflammation. The preparation process involves isolating a patient's own white blood cells (leukocytes) and labeling them ex vivo with the positron-emitting radioisotope Zirconium-89 (89Zr). Oxine (8-hydroxyquinoline) acts as a lipophilic chelator and ionophore, facilitating the transport of the 89Zr cation across the leukocyte cell membrane. Once inside the cell, the 89Zr dissociates from the oxine and binds to intracellular proteins, ensuring stable retention of the radioactivity. After the labeled cells are re-injected into the patient, they participate in normal physiological trafficking, migrating to sites of active infection or inflammation via chemotaxis. This modality offers significant advantages over traditional SPECT-based imaging (using Indium-111 or Technetium-99m), including the superior spatial resolution of PET and a longer physical half-life (78.4 hours), which permits delayed imaging to detect low-grade or deep-seated inflammatory processes.

Other names

Zirconium-89 labeled white blood cellsZirconium89 labeled white blood cellsZirconium 89 labeled white blood cells89Zr-labeled leukocytesZirconium-89 oxine-labeled white blood cellsZirconium89 oxine-labeled white blood cellsZirconium 89 oxine-labeled white blood cells