title: The radionuclide assessment of a system for slow intrathecal infusion of drugs.
abstract: The authors describe a new radionuclide method for assessing the functional integrity of slow intrathecal infusion devices. Approximately 11 mCi (400 MBq) of Tc-99m DTPA is injected into the pump chamber. Early and delayed imaging of the pump, tubing, and spinal cerebrospinal fluid space is performed on a digital large-field-of-view gamma camera. The digitally displayed images are then reviewed by adjustment of the grey scale window. Four patients have had eight studies and in each case the result has been confirmed by surgical exploration or by clinical response to change in therapy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nuclear Medicine, Alfred Hospital, Melbourne, Victoria, Australia.
authors.forename: R J
authors.initials: RJ
authors.lastname: Hicks
authors.forename: V
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Kalff
authors.forename: G
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Brazenor
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Rahmat
authors.forename: M J
authors.initials: MJ
authors.lastname: Kelly
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000701:Analgesics, Opioid / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D004868:Equipment Failure; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D006801:Humans; D007260:Infusion Pumps; D007278:Injections, Spinal; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009369:Neoplasms / Q000150:complications; D009942:Organometallic Compounds; D010148:Intractable Pain / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000209:etiology; D004369:Pentetic Acid; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging; D013116:Spinal Cord / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D013667:Technetium; D016284:Technetium Tc 99m Pentetate
chemical_list: D000701:Analgesics, Opioid; D009942:Organometallic Compounds; D013667:Technetium; D004369:Pentetic Acid; D016284:Technetium Tc 99m Pentetate