A comparison of single plasma sample methods to estimate renal clearance using 99mTc-ethylenedicysteine and 99mTc-mercaptoacetyltriglycine.

Several single sample methods for determination of (99m)Tc-mercaptoacetyltriglycine (MAG3) clearance are being used clinically. Kabasakal et al. proposed a similar formula for (99m)Tc-ethylenedicysteine (EC). This study was performed to compare his method with Bubeck et al. formula for (99m)Tc-MAG3 already in use. Twenty-eight subjects divided in two groups were registered which included 22 patients with various renal diseases (group-I) and six normal volunteers (group II). All subjects were studied twice using both the radiopharmaceuticals. The images and renogram parameters, that is TMAX and T1/2 of both the agents, were similar in all the subjects. The clearance of the (99m)Tc-EC was however considerably higher than (99m)Tc-MAG3 in both the groups (mean ± SEM =279 ± 14 ml min(-1)/1.73 m(2) versus 177 ± 15 ml min(-1)/1.73 m(2) in group-I and 377 ± 11.90 ml min(-1)/1.73 m(2) versus 238 ± 8.23 ml min(-1)/1.73 m(2) in group II). This difference was more pronounced in cases with reduced renal functions. Among the Effective Renal Plasma Flow (ERPF) values determined from EC and MAG3 clearances in six normal volunteers, four cases only in MAG3 had ERPF below the lower limit. This study has demonstrated superiority of single sample method for (99 m)Tc-EC clearance over its analogous method for (99m)Tc-MAG3.

Radiopharmacokinetics, renal clearance and dosimetry of 99m Tc-MAG3

Background. Technetium-99m-mercaptoacetyltriglycine (99-mTc-MAG3) is a radiopharmaceutical for tubular function and can be prepared with 99-mtechnetium and the ligand Bz-MAG3 (Instituto Nacional de Investigaciones Nucleares, Mexico City). No radiopharmacokinetic parameters have been found for the healty adult Mexican population with 99mTc-MAG3, prepared with the nationally produced or imported Bz-MAG3 kit. Methods. The radiopharmacokinetic parametrs and the clearance of 99mTc-Mag3 in seven healthy Mexican volunteers were determined by the single-and multi-sample methods. Computer programs were used for the calculations. Results. Using several plasma samples from 0.43 min and the BIEXP program, it was show that 99mTc-MAG3 follows a two-compartment model of distribution, with an apparent volumen in the central compartment Vdcc = 6.7 + 1.0 1, T½Ó = 0.07 + 0.02 h-1, T½ ß = 0.49 + 0.15 h-1, mean residence time MRT = 0.60 + 0.17 h and clearance = 208 57 (ml/min)/1.73 m². In comparison, the clearance value with a single sample drawn 43 min post-injection and calculated with Tauxe's formula was 193 ñ 59 (ml/min)/m². Conclusions. The 15 ml difference between the two methods is neither statistically different (p= 0.11) nor important for routine clinical studies. The single-sample method is recommendad because it is reliable and can be done at the same time that dynamic renal scan is aquiered. Estimated absorbed radiation dose was calvulated for several organs

Reproducibility of a single-sample method for 99Tcm-MAG3 clearance under clinical conditions.

The aim of this study was to assess the intra-individual reproducibility of 99Tcm-mercaptoacetyltriglycine (99Tcm-MAG3) clearance in routine clinical practice in various circumstances using a single-sample method. Three groups of 30 patients each were enrolled in the study. Investigations were repeated on the same day with two different levels of activity (group A), within 1 week (group B), or after 1 year (group C). Blood samples were taken after 20 and 25 min and clearance values were averaged to minimize incidental errors after calculation according to the formula proposed by Bubeck et al. For clearance estimation on the same day, time-dependent background correction for residual activity was carried out. The mean difference was -2.0%, +6.0% and -1.5% (S.D. = 6.3%, 15.7% and 11.7%) for groups A, B and C respectively, taking into account values > 100 ml min-1 only. We demonstrated that 99Tcm-MAG3 clearance is highly reproducible under the same conditions. However, a repeat clearance measurement on a separate day revealed large differences. Therefore, in follow-up studies for evaluation of changing kidney function (e.g. surgery or chemotherapy), differences should exceed 30% (i.e. 2 S.D. of group B) to be statistically significant.