LYMPHOSCINTIGRAPHY WITH TC-99M-LABELED DEXTRAN

  • 1 January 1982
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 23  (10) , 923-929
Abstract
The usefulness of 99mTc dextran (TcDx) with a MW of 110,000 was tested for lymphoscintigraphy. Computer-assisted dynamic imaging and serial blood sampling in 13 dog experiments demonstrated that the tracer cleared only by lymph drainage from an interstitial injection site. Following interdigital injection of 1.0 ml (0.5-5.0 mCi), TcDx reached the knee or elbow lymph nodes in 12.4 .+-. 6.4 (1 SD) s, and the inguinal or axillary lymph nodes in 98.0 .+-. 42.3 s. It cleared from the injection site with a half-time of 31.5 min. In a dog with surgically induced lymphedema, tracer migration was markedly delayed in the edematous leg and the radionuclide lymphoscintigram resembled the contrast lymphangiogram. Initial studies in man yielded high-quality radionuclide lymphograms of the leg, and the pelvic and paraortic lymph nodes.