A comparison of radiopharmaceutical labelling efficiency of chromatographic generator vs MEK extraction [ 99mTc]pertechnetate

Abstract

Technetium-99m radiopharmaceuticals prepared for routine clinical use, were labelled with [ 99mTc]pertechnetate obtained from either a commercial chromatographic generator or from a Winnipeg Health Sciences Centre semi-automated self-shielded methyl ethyl ketone extraction system. The [ 99mTc]pertechnetate source for each 99mTc radiopharmaceutical was selected at random over a 16 month period of time. The routine quality control data (silica-gel thin layer chromatography) was reviewed retrospectively, as an in vitro assessment of the quality of the [ 99mTc]radiopharmaceutical prepared from each [ 99mTc]pertechnetate source. Bone scans ([ 99mTc]pyrophosphate) and wall motion studies ([ 99mTc]red blood cells) were evaluated as an in vivo assessment of the [ 99mTc]pertechnetate used to label the pyrophosphate or red blood cells. The in vitro studies indicated no difference in the labelling efficiency and radiochemical purity of the 99mTc radiopharmaceuticals prepared from either source of [ 99mTc]pertechnetate and there was also no difference observed in the image quality of either bone scans or wall motion studies obtained with either source of [ 99mTc]pertechnetate.