Inhalation of pertechnegas: similar clearance from the lungs to that of inhaled pertechnetate aerosol.
It has been reported that the inhalation of pertechnegas (TGO3) generated under an atmosphere of 3% oxygen (O2) in argon (Ar) instead of 100% Ar without O2 in the technegas generator, offers a simple but accurate quantification of clearance from the lungs, permitting it to be used in place of 99Tcm-diethylenetriamine pentaacetic acid (DTPA). The disappearance from the lungs of inhaled TGO3 was so similar to that of inhaled pertechnetate aerosol (TcO4) in this study, that there was neither a statistically significant difference in the clearance half-time (t1/2), nor a difference in the lung images between them. Neither TGO3 nor TcO4 inhalation could distinguish smokers from non-smokers using t1/2. When inhaled, TGO3 appears to behave in a similar manner to TcO4 in the lungs and hence cannot be used in place of 99Tcm-DTPA in clinical practice.
D000280:Administration, Inhalation; D000328:Adult; D000336:Aerosols; D006108:Graphite; D006801:Humans; D008168:Lung / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000378:metabolism*; D008657:Metabolic Clearance Rate; D008875:Middle Aged; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging; D012016:Reference Values; D012907:Smoking; D013670:Sodium Pertechnetate Tc 99m / Q000008:administration & dosage* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D013896:Thoracic Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*
D000336:Aerosols; C056708:Technegas; D006108:Graphite; D013670:Sodium Pertechnetate Tc 99m