Evaluation of Se-75 BISTAES as a potential articular cartilage imaging agent

The potential of Se-75 bis [β-N,N,N-trimethylamino)-ethyl] selenide diiodide (Se-75 BISTAES) as an articular cartilage imaging agent for the early diagnosis of osteoarthritis was evaluated. The compound was synthesized and the identity was established. The radiochemical purity and stability were determined initially and over a two-month period of storage at three temperatures. The biodistribution of Se-75 BISTAES in rabbits and guinea pigs was studied. A high concentration of radioactivity was found in the knee and shoulder cartilage. The radioactivity in the cartilage was the highest at 15 minutes to one hour post-injection. In rabbits, the highest ratio of radioactivity in the cartilage to the surrounding tissues was about 30. A minimal ratio of 10 is required for nuclear medicine imaging. Nuclear medicine imaging conducted on rabbits demonstrated increased radioactivity in the articular cartilage in the knee and shoulder. The impression from the nuclear medicine images and the findings of the biodistribution study indicated that the route of excretion of Se-75 BISTAES was the urine. The in vitro binding between Se-75 BISTAES and chondroitin sulfate was determined by an equilibrium dialysis technique