[A method designed for the assessment of myocardial metabolism in rats with 18F-FDG using small-animal-PET. Initial experience in Mexico].

Purpose: To standarize an acquisition protocol for the study of myocardial metabolism in adult rats.

Material And Methods: Three Wistar adult male rats were studied in three different protocols: no fasting group, fasting group over a period of 12 hr before the study with only water provided ad libitum, and fasting group by the same time receiving an oral 50% glucose solution. Thirty-minute acquisition images were obtained with a micro-PET, thirty and sixty minutes after the administration of 370-555 MBq 18F-FDG. Comparative and visual analysis were performed by two experts in the field.

Results: Eigtheen studies were analyzed, six per group. The best images were those of the first group, especially those taken at 60 minutes after the 18F-FDG administration.

Conclusion: It is possible to establish the non-fasting protocol for the assessment of myocardial metabolism to be used in the future for the myocardial viability evaluation in ischemic cardiopathy.