[Imaging of strontium-89 uptake with bremsstrahlung using NaI scintillation camera]

Abstract

Strontium-89 chloride is widely available in the U.S. and Europe for patients afflicted by bone metastasis associated with pain. 89Sr is a pure beta-emitter and it is thought to be difficult to estimate its distribution externally. We tried to image the distribution of 89Sr uptake with bremsstrahlung from beta-minus decay of 89Sr by using Nal scintillation camera. Pronounced 89Sr depositions in the bone metastatic sites were imaged in the energy windows from 50 keV to 150 keV bremsstrahlung. The distribution of these depositions corresponded to 99mTc-HMDP image may be suspected to the effectiveness of this therapy. The identification of 89Sr distribution might be useful in evaluating the bone marrow radiation dose too.