TC-99M-ALENDRONATE AS AN OPTION IN BONE S CANNING

Objective. To compare the quality of bone scans obtained with (TC)-T-9 9m-ABP, a new radiopharmaceutical, and Tc-99m-MDP. Material and method s. A comparative study within subjects was done in nine healthy volunt eers, 5 female and 4 male, aged 23 to 39 years. The dose for both radi opharmaceuticals was 740 MBq; radiopharmacokinetic parameters were det ermined and a whole body bone scan was taken with a MultiSpect 2 gamma camera two hours post administration with a wash-out period of 72 hou rs between preparations. The images were independently evaluated by th ree nuclear medicine physicians by drawing of regions of interest (ROI s) on vertebrae, ribs, femur, sternum, joints and skull. Ratios bone/s oft tissue were obtained drawing ROls on several bones. The kappa test and the Wilcoxon rank test were used for statistical comparisons. Res ults. The agreement on the quality of the images with Tc-ABP and Tc-MD P was fair (kappa 0.4). The femur/soft tissue ratio had a normal distr ibution and the Wilcoxon test showed no statistical difference between preparations. Conclusions. Even though bone uptake was higher and fas ter with Tc-ABP, the quality of the scans obtained with either radioph armaceutical was similar. We recommend the use of Tc-ABP as a routine bone scan agent because of its less radiation exposure to the patient.