Evaluation of technetium-99m-L,L-EC in renal transplant recipients: a comparative study with technetium-99m-MAG3 and iodine-125-OIH.
The clinical usefulness of kit-formulated 99mTc-L,L-EC, a new renal tubular tracer agent based on a diaminodithiol ligand was evaluated in a large population of renal transplant recipients.


METHODS
Fifty patients with transplants were studied. Five patients with renal insufficiency and five normal volunteers were also included to extend the range of renal function values. The labeling efficiency of 99mTc-L,L-EC in routine conditions, i.e., without HPLC purification, and the safety of the tracer were evaluated.


RESULTS
The mean radiochemical purity of 99mTc-L,L-EC determined by thin-layer chromatography was 97.4%. No side effects or significant biochemical changes were observed. The clearance of 99mTc-L,L-EC and 125I-OIH ranged from 10.7 to 417.5 and from 27.6 to 602.7 ml/min/1.73 m2, respectively. The clearance of 99mTc-L,L-EC and 99mTc-MAG3 averaged respectively 71% and 52% of that of 125I-OIH.


CONCLUSIONS
The labeling procedure of kit-formulated 99mTc-L,L-EC is easy and efficient. This tracer is safe and suitable for both imaging and quantitative measurement of the renal tubular function. Technetium-99m-L,L-EC represents an excellent alternative to 99mTc-MAG3.
Stoffel
M
M
Center of Nuclear Medicine, University of Louvain Medical School, Brussels; Belgium.
Jamar
F
F
Van Nerom
C
C
Verbruggen
A
A
Mourad
M
M
Leners
N
N
Squifflet
J P
JP
Beckers
C
C
D000328:Adult; D002851:Chromatography, High Pressure Liquid; D003545:Cysteine / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007457:Iodine Radioisotopes; D007465:Iodohippuric Acid / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D007668:Kidney / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D007677:Kidney Function Tests; D016030:Kidney Transplantation / Q000502:physiology*; D007684:Kidney Tubules / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008297:Male; D008657:Metabolic Clearance Rate; D008954:Models, Biological; D015609:Organotechnetium Compounds / Q000302:isolation & purification / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D011933:Reagent Kits, Diagnostic; D017263:Technetium Tc 99m Mertiatide; D014055:Tomography, Emission-Computed
D007457:Iodine Radioisotopes; D015609:Organotechnetium Compounds; D011933:Reagent Kits, Diagnostic; C073806:technetium Tc 99m-ethylenedicysteine; D007465:Iodohippuric Acid; D017263:Technetium Tc 99m Mertiatide; D003545:Cysteine