Alternative chromatographic system for the quality control of lipophilic technetium-99m radiopharmaceuticals such as [99mTc(MIBI)6]+

Knowledge of the radiochemical purity of radiopharmaceuticals is mandatory and can be evaluated by several methods and techniques. Planar chromatography is the technique normally employed in nuclear medicine since it is simple, rapid and usually of low cost. There is no standard system for the chromatographic technique, but price, separation efficiency and short time for execution must be considered. We have studied an alternative system using common chromatographic stationary phase and alcohol or alcohol:chloroform mixtures as the mobile phase, using the lipophilic radiopharmaceutical [99mTc(MIBI)6]+ as a model. Whatman 1 modified phase paper and absolute ethanol, Whatman 1 paper and methanol:chloroform (25:75), Whatman 3MM paper and ethanol:chloroform (25:75), and the more expensive ITLC-SG and 1-propanol:chloroform (10:90) were suitable systems for the direct determination of radiochemical purity of [99mTc(MIBI)6]+ since impurities such as99mTc-reduced-hydrolyzed (RH),99mTcO4- and [99mTc(cysteine)2]-complex were completely separated from the radiopharmaceutical, which moved toward the front of chromatographic systems while impurities were retained at the origin. The time required for analysis was 4 to 15 min, which is appropriate for nuclear medicine routines.

Experiental evaluation of brain spect using d, 1 - HMPAO 99m Tc in dogs. Anatomo-physiological implications

O d, 1-Hexametilpropileno oxima marcado com o tecnécio-99m (potência 99m Tc-HMPAO) é um importante radiofármaco usado tanto para imagens tomográficas cerebrais quanto na marcaçäo "in vitro" de leucócitos. A crescente utilizaçäo deste radiofármaco no estudo de doenças neurológicas no homem levou-nos à obtençäo de "kits" de HMPAO para ser marcado pelo tecnécio-99m. Neste trabalho apresentamos o estudo experimental efetuado com "kits" liofilizados de d, 1-HMPAO elevado à 99mTc desenvolvidos em nosos laboratórios, comparando inclusive com aqueles encontrados no comércio. As imagens cerebrais inicialmente foram feitas em coelhos, entretanto os melhores resultados foram obtidos em cäes. Assim, selecionaram-se seis cäes sem raça definida, considerados clinicamente normais para obtençäo das imagens cintilográficas do cérebro e o "washout" das regiöes de interesse (ROIs). Os estudos experimentais em animais e a considerável reduçäo do custo do radiofármaco mostrou-nos a possibilidade da utilizaçäo destes exames na clínica veterinária, especialmente de pequenos animais. Por outro lado, a perfusäo do d, 1-HMPAO elevado à 99mTc mostra que a concentraçäo do radiofármaco se faz ao mesmo tempo na regiäo do cérebro e nas fossas nasais, demonstrando a existência de estruturas iguais às da barreira hemo-encefálica nesta última regiäo