Comparison of 17-iodine-131 heptadecanoic acid kinetics from externally measured time-activity curves and from serial myocardial biopsies in an open-chest canine model

The relation between the externally measured myocardial time-activity curve and the radiochemically determined kinetics of iodine-131(131I) heptadecanoic acid was studied in an open-chest canine model under different metabolic interventions. Kinetics were assessed by analysis of 12 biopsies taken in an assay period of 90 min. Time-activity curves were fitted with a monoexponential plus constant. The halftime value of the exponential of the external curve corresponded well with the elimination rate of 131I from the myocardium: 14.6 +/- 4.5 min vs. 14.6 +/- 5.3 min. The constant was build up of three components: free 131I in cardiac tissue, the almost constant activity of the radiolabeled free fatty acid (FFA) in the myocardial lipid pool, and the radioactivity of blood and noncardiac tissues. The contribution of blood and noncardiac tissue to the constant amounted to a mean value of 77%. These findings support the analysis of externally measured time-activity curves with a monoexponential plus constant curve fit, in which background correction is not necessary. In cases where lipid storage is predominantly present, high T1/2 values, both internally and externally, were found, which were fitted with a monoexponential curve. It can be concluded that externally measured time-activity curves reflect satisfactorily the kinetics of radioiodinated heptadecanoic acid.