Synthesis and characterization of [186Re]rhenium(V)dimercaptosuccinic acid: a possible tumour radiotherapy agent.

[186Re]Re(V)DMSA, a beta-emitting analogue of the tumour imaging radiopharmaceutical pentavalent [99mTc]Tc(V)DMSA of possible value in tumour therapy, is readily prepared by stannous reduction of [186Re]ReO4 in the presence of dimercaptosuccinic acid at 100 degrees C using a commercial DMSA kit as used for renal imaging with 99mTc, and purified using a disposable sample preparation column. The complex has been identified as [ReO(DMSA)2] by NMR, optical and i.r., spectroscopy and elemental analysis.