Effect of a chemotherapeutic drug on the biodistribution of 99mTc-DTPA in Balb/c mice

Abstract

The biodistribution of radiotracers used in diagnostic imaging can be grossly and recognizably altered by a wide variety of drugs and other treatment modalities, such as surgery and radiotherapy. Knowledge of such altered biodistribution is important both in making diagnostic inferences from scans and in dosimetric considerations. Vincristine is a drug that has been used as a component of many chemotherapeutic regimens because of its relative lack of hematologic toxicity. Its mechanism of action is by interfering with microtubule formation. The metabolic fate of vincristine has not been clearly determined and apparently undergoes in vivo decomposition. We have studied the effect of vincristine on the biodistribution of the 99mTc-DTPA. Vincristine was administered by ocular plexus via into female isogenic Balb/c mice. One hour after the last dose, 99mTc-DTPA (7.4 MBq) was injected and after 0.5 hour the animals were rapidly sacrificed. The organs were isolated, the radioactivity uptakes determined in a well counter and the percentages of radioactivity (% rad) in the organs calculated. The results have shown that the percentage rad has not been significantly altered in pancreas, thyroid and brain whilst a significant increased in thymus, ovary, uterus, spleen, kidney, heart, stomach, lung, liver and bone was reported. The results could be explained by the metabolization and/or therapeutic and immunosuppressive action of vincristine.