PET-based Imaging of Chemokine Receptor 2 in Experimental and Disease-related Lung Inflammation

Purpose To characterize a chemokine receptor type 2 (CCR2)-binding peptide adapted for use as a positron emission tomography (PET) radiotracer for noninvasive detection of lung inflammation in a mouse model of lung injury and in human tissues from subjects with lung disease. Materials and Methods The study was approved by institutional animal and human studies committees. Informed consent was obtained from patients. A 7-amino acid CCR2 binding peptide (extracellular loop 1 inverso [ECL1i]) was conjugated to tetraazacyclododecane tetraacetic acid (DOTA) and labeled with copper 64 (