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Updated: May 25, 2026
Fluorescence Molecular Tomography for In Vivo Imaging of Glioblastoma Xenografts
Published on: April 26, 2018
Incongruity of imaging using fluorescent 2-DG conjugates compared to 18F-FDG in preclinical cancer models
Jen-Chieh Tseng1, Yuchuan Wang, Pallab Banerjee
1Lurie Family Imaging Center, Dana-Farber Cancer Institute, 450 Brookline Avenue, Boston, MA 02215, USA. jen-chieh_tseng@dfci.harvard.edu
Purpose:
We compared the use of near-infrared conjugates of 2-deoxyglucose (NIR 2-DG) to 2-deoxy-2-[18F]fluoro-d-glucose (18F-FDG) for the purposes of imaging tumors, as well as response to therapy.
Procedures:
Uptake of both 18F-FDG and NIR 2-DG within gastrointestinal stromal tumor xenografts were imaged before and after nilotinib treatment. Confocal microscopy was performed to determine NIR 2-DG distribution in tumors.
Results:
Treatment with nilotinib resulted in a rapid reduction in 18F-FDG uptake and reduced tumor cell viability which was predictive of long-term antitumor efficacy. In contrast, optical imaging with NIR 2-DG probes was unable to differentiate control from niltonib-treated animals, and microscopic analysis revealed no change in probe distribution as a result of treatment.
Conclusions:
These results suggest that conjugation of large bulky fluorophores to 2-DG disrupts the facilitated transport and retention of these probes in cells. Therefore, optical imaging of NIR 2-DG probes cannot substitute for 18F-FDG positron emission tomography imaging as a biomarker of tumor cell viability and metabolism.
