Current research in radiotracer imaging of electroporation injury

High-voltage electrical shock can produce minimal external signs of damage with widespread damage to the skeletal muscle. The injury can be thermally mediated or the result of electroporation of cell membranes. Radiotracer imaging is one method for assessing the extent of damage in skeletal muscle. The authors are using radiotracer imaging in an in vivo animal model to investigate the effects of novel therapies, such as surfactants, for repairing electroporation damage. In this work, the authors report the results of region-of-interest (ROI) analysis and principal component analysis (PCA) of the data collected from the animal model. These analytical methods may provide a tool to assist in clinical monitoring of electrical injury victims