In Vivo Imaging of Peri-operative (periOP) Destructive Processes in the Lung

Lung injury is commonly not detected unless structural damage has occurred. SPECT-CT scanning using a specific tracer that lights up when it detects apoptosis (programmed cell death) has been used to detect even minor lung injury for example by smoke inhalation in animals and may be more sensitive to detect a less severe injury. The present study aims to study SPECT-CT scan using a tracer for apoptosis, 99mTc Annexin V-128 (AxV- 128/Tc), to detect lung injury after major surgery. Prolonged ventilation during surgery can cause minor lung injury but is usually not clinically detected. The investigators are planning to study 40 patients (20 patients with pre-existing lung disease-COPD and 20 patients with normal preoperative lung function) who are undergoing Whipple operations or other major surgery. The investigators will obtain SPECT-CT scans before and then 2-3 days after surgery and compare the uptake of a radioactive tracer with plasma markers of lung injury (Soluble Receptors for Advanced Glycation End Products (sRAGE), Interleukin 6 (IL-6), Clara-cell 16 and lung surfactant protein D (SP-D) among others). The investigators will ask the subjects to undergo spirometry testing, blood draws and urine collection. In addition, a SPECT-CT scan that lasts approximately 1 hour will be performed prior to surgery and 2-3 days post-operatively (while still hospitalized).

The total effective dose from the combined SPECT and CT scans is 6.2 millisievert (mSv). This effective dose is below what a patient receives during a standard 2 dose rest and stress cardiac nuclear imaging study and well within the range of current clinical nuclear imaging tests. The exact long term risk for development of cancer from diagnostic radiological procedures is currently under debate but all imaging procedures in this study are aimed to keep total radiation burden As Low As Reasonably Achievable (ALARA).