Abstract:
The human response to invading fungi includes a series of events that detect, kill, or clear
the fungi. If the metabolic host response is unable to eliminate the fungi, an infection ensues. Some
of the host response’s metabolic events to fungi can be imaged with molecules labelled with radionuclides.
Several important clinical applications have been found with radiolabelled biomolecules of
inflammation. 18F-fluorodeoxyglucose is the tracer that has been most widely investigated in the host
defence of fungi. This tracer has added value in the early detection of infection, in staging and visualising
dissemination of infection, and in monitoring antifungal treatment. Radiolabelled antimicrobial
peptides showed promising results, but large prospective studies in fungal infection are lacking.
Other tracers have also been used in imaging events of the host response, such as the migration of
white blood cells at sites of infection, nutritional immunity in iron metabolism, and radiolabelled
monoclonal antibodies. Many tracers are still at the preclinical stage. Some tracers require further
studies before translation into clinical use. The application of therapeutic radionuclides offers a very
promising clinical application of these tracers in managing drug-resistant fungi.
