Fluorodeoxyglucose-positron emission tomography (18F-FDG-PET) is a powerful tool for
cancer detection, staging, and follow-up. However, 18F-FDG-PET imaging has high rates of false positives, as it cannot distinguish between
tumor and
inflammation regions that both feature increased
glucose metabolic activity. In the present study, we engineered
liposomes coated with
glucose and the
chelator dodecane tetraacetic
acid (
DOTA) complexed with
copper, to serve as a diagnostic technology for differentiating between
cancer and
inflammation. This
liposome technology is based on FDA-approved materials and enables complexation with
metal cations and
radionuclides. We found that these
liposomes were preferentially uptaken by
cancer cell lines with high metabolic activity, mediated via
glucose transporter-1. In vivo, these
liposomes were avidly uptaken by
tumors, as compared to
liposomes without
glucose coating. Moreover, in a combined
tumor-
inflammation mouse model, these
liposomes accumulated in the
tumor tissue and not in the
inflammation region. Thus, this technology shows high specificity for
tumors while evading
inflammation and has potential for rapid translation to the clinic and integration with existing PET imaging systems, for effective reduction of false positives in
cancer diagnosis.