Molecular imaging and therapy targeting copper metabolism in hepatocellular carcinoma

Figure 1 Metabolic imaging of metastasis of hepatocellular carcinoma with ⁶⁴CuCl₂-position emission tomography and computed tomography. A: Preclinical metabolic imaging of HCC xenografts in mice injected with ⁶⁴CuCl₂ as a tracer. ⁶⁴Cu bound to copper binding molecules in the blood immediately after intravenous injection of ⁶⁴CuCl₂. PET/CT images were then obtained that show the expected biodistribution of ⁶⁴CuCl₂ in the liver and intestinal tracts, with low uptake in the brain and muscle tissues. The HCC xenografts implanted on the shoulder showed increased ⁶⁴Cu uptake on PET/CT images; B: Schematic showing the clinical perspective of metabolic imaging of HCC in humans. Human patients may be injected with ⁶⁴CuCl₂ and subjected to PET/CT for detection of HCC metastasis in areas of low physiological ⁶⁴Cu uptake, such as brain and musculoskeletal tissues. HCC: Hepatocellular carcinoma; PET/CT: Hybrid positron emission tomography and computed tomography.