Development, evaluation, and in-vivo validation of two non-invasive methods for quantitation of activity and dosimetry of monoclonal antibodies in humans

The authors have applied both a conjugate view imaging method and a first pass study for quantitation of absolute I-131 activity in lesions and normal tissue of patients with colon carcinoma in order to study biological clearance of the I-131 F(ab)'/sub 2/ fragments of mouse monoclonal antibody and the resultant dosimetry. Both methods require a transmission scan for determining patient attenuation and measurement of patient lesion or organ size in the region of interest. The conjugate view method is analyzed for both SPECT and planar imaging. The percent error of both methods relates to lesion size and absolute activity when compared to actual well-counter assayed samples of malignant and normal tissue obtained from CT-guided needle biopsies or surgical specimens. Dosimetric evaluation was based on determination of activity, clearance from computer-generated time-activity curves and lesion or organ volumes from volumetric CT scan data. The dose to the thyroid gland was calculated for one population receiving Lugol's solution 3 days prior and for the other who received Lugol's at the time of administration. Data showed no significant difference in absorbed thyroid dose. Lastly, the absolute uptake of I-131, lesion to background ratios, and the dosimetry data were compared for three different monoclonal antibody fragments