A collaboration between researchers at the Rosalind Franklin Institute, the University of Oxford, the University of Pittsburgh, and the National Institutes of Health (NIH) in the US has yield a new approach to PET scans that may enable more accurate detection of tuberculosis and, ultimately, improve treatment. The team’s work is published in a recent article in Nature Communications.
Tuberculosis is a bacterial infection that affects the lungs, and can be spread by droplets released into the air through coughing. Globally, over one million people die each year from tuberculosis, despite being a preventable and treatable illness. The challenge, however, is being able to accurately and quickly diagnosis tuberculosis that can enable prompt treatment. Currently, there are two main methods of diagnosing tuberculosis.
First, there is a test that can detect infection in a person’s spit. The challenge, however, is a spit test's sensitivity. Over the course of treatment, for example, a spit test may indicate that someone is negative for tuberculosis, leading them to end treatment earlier than needed.
The second option is a PET scan, which can help detect signs of inflammation in the lungs that is indicative of tuberculosis. The problem here, though, is that other things can cause inflammation in the lungs, making it challenging to know for certain a person has tuberculosis.
The solution devised by the collaboration of researchers is designed to maximize the potential of PET scans by giving them a way to detect tuberculosis-specific inflammation. Specifically, the team devised a new radiotracer that can indicate tuberculosis. The radiotracer is a carbohydrate that is processed solely by tuberculosis bacteria, enabling PET scans to detect tuberculosis-specific inflammation.
What’s more, the radiotracer can be created without the need for specialist insight or labor, meaning it can be developed easily in critical areas around the world. Combined with the fact that only standard PET equipment is needed (which is becoming more widespread), an easy way to detect tuberculosis accurately may be at hand.
Sources: EurekAlert!; Nature Communications; WHO
