Feasibility of [11C]Acetate-PET in LAM and TSC

This study aims to assess \[11C\]acetate positron emission tomography (PET)/computed tomography (CT) as a biomarker for renal angiomyolipomas and pulmonary lymphangioleiomyomatosis (LAM) and an early biomarker of response to rapamycin in LAM patients. \[11C\]Acetate is a radioactive form of acetate, a nutrient commonly processed in our body's cells to generate fat and energy. Preclinical studies support the hypothesis that TSC tumors enhance lipid synthesis compared to normal tissues, suggesting that quantification of \[11C\]acetate in these tumors by PET/CT may provide a metabolic biomarker of disease. Participants in the study will undergo 1 or 2 PET/CT scans over 3 to 6 months at the Massachusetts General Hospital (Boston, MA). \[11C\]acetate is administered through an intravenous catheter. This small amount of radioactivity is short-lived and eliminated from the body within a few hours.