Imaging Airway Liquid Absorption in Cystic Fibrosis

Overview

The investigators are developing a new nuclear medicine imaging technique for measuring liquid absorption in the airways that can be applied to screen new medications being developed to treat cystic fibrosis (CF). The investigators believe that the absorption of the small molecule radiopharmaceutical Indium 111-diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid (In-DTPA) will indicate changes in liquid absorption in the airways and demonstrate whether new CF medications will be effective. In this study the investigators will further develop this technique through testing involving pediatric CF patients and healthy control subjects.

The investigators have recently developed a novel aerosol-based imaging technique to detect changes in liquid absorption in the airways - a central pathophysiological process known to be important in cystic fibrosis (CF) lung disease. This technique may provide a measure of disease severity and indication of therapeutic correction in advance of currently available outcome measures. It involves the simultaneous delivery of two radiopharmaceuticals by inhalation: one an absorbable small-molecule (Indium-111 labeled diethylenetriaminepentaacetic acid; In-DTPA) and the other a non-absorbable particle (Technetium 99m labeled sulfur colloid; Tc-SC). The overarching hypothesis is that In-DTPA absorption provides a quantifiable, non-invasive measurement of airway liquid absorption that (a) is sensitive to CF genotype, (b) uniquely identifies basic disease phenotype and predicts disease severity, and (c) is modulated by therapeutic interventions.

Conditions

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Eligibility

Locations (1)

Outcomes