Development and validation of methodology for technetium-99m radiopharmaceuticals using high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC)

Radiopharmaceuticals are compounds, with no pharmacological action, which have a radioisotope in their composition and are used in Nuclear Medicine for diagnosis and therapy of several diseases. In this work, the development and validation of an analytical method for 99mTc-HSA, 99mTc-EC, 99mTc-ECD and 99mTc-Sestamibi radiopharmaceuticals and for some raw materials were carried out by high performance liquid chromatography (HPLC). The analyses were performed in a Shimadzu HPLC equipment, LC-20AT Prominence model. Some impurities were identified by the addition of a reference standard substance. Validation of the method was carried out according to the criteria defined in RE n. 899/2003 of the National Sanitary Agency (ANVISA). The results for robustness of the method showed that it is necessary to control flow rate conditions, sample volume, pH of the mobile phase and temperature of the oven. The analytical curves were linear in the concentration ranges, with linear correlation coefficients (r2) above 0.9995. The results for precision, accuracy and recovery showed values in the range of 0.07-4.78%, 95.38-106.50% and 94.40-100.95%, respectively. The detection limits and quantification limits varied from 0.27 to 5.77 μg mL-1 and 0.90 to 19.23 μg mL-1, respectively. The values for HAS, EC, ECD and MIBI in the lyophilized reagents were 8.95; 0.485; 0.986 and 0.974 mg L-1, respectively. The mean radiochemical purity for 99mTc-HSA, 99mTc-EC, 99mTc-ECD and 99mTc-Sestamibi was (97.28 ± 0.09)%, (98.96 ± 0.03)%, (98.96 ± 0.03)% and (98.07 ± 0.01)%, respectively. All the parameters recommended by ANVISA were evaluated and the results are below the established limits. (author)