[99mTc] Liposomes for localizing experimental colitis in a rabbit model

[(99m)Tc] liposomes (TL) and [(111)In]WBCs (WBCs) were compared for imaging colitis in rabbits. At 24 h, liver was the major organ of accumulation (7.8% TL vs 39.7% WBCs), besides blood (44.1% TL vs 24.4% WBCs) and spleen (0.3% TL vs 7% WBCs). The inflamed colon accumulated 37.1 times more of [(99m)Tc] liposomes than the normal colon whereas the ratio was only 15.2 in case of [(111)In] WBCs. The study demonstrates the usefulness of [(99m)Tc] liposomes for imaging inflammatory bowel diseases.