Comparison of the radiopharmaceutical potentials of dithizone radiolabeled with 131I and with 99mTc

In this study, dithizone (diphenylthiocarbazone) has been separately radiolabeled with 131I and with 99mTc for preliminarily testing their radiopharmaceutical potentials on male albino rabbits. 131I-dithizone and 99mTc-dithizone were intravenously injected to rabbits via their ear veins after anesthetizing with a mixture of Alfazyne and Alfamine (Serva) to determine their dynamic and static statuses in the metabolism. Also, 99mTc as pertechnetate and 131I as iodate were administered to rabbits as controls. Dynamic and static scintigrams were obtained using a gamma camera (Diacan Instruments). Dynamic scintigrams were obtained over the first half hour with frames of 1 minute following the administrations of the labeled compounds. Static images were obtained from posterior projection at different time intervals up to about 3 hours following the administration of the radiolabeled compounds. 99mTc-dithizone was significantly uptaken by the pancreas in contrast to free 99mTc. In the case of 131I-dithizone, the distribution of 131I activity in the metabolism was clearly different than the case of free 131I and the uptake of 131I-dithizone at the pancreas zone was also significant. These preliminary tests have clearly indicated that especially 99mTc-dithizone has a significant potential to be used as a pancreatic radiopharmaceutical. © 2007 Springer Science+Business Media, Inc