99mTc-ECD: Comparison of radiochemical purity evaluation techniques

The aim of this study was to validate a testing method for the radiochemical purity (RCP) of the preparations of 99mTc - ECD that is to be reproducible and easy to realize in services of Nuclear Medicine. After a review of literature, four thin-layer chromatography techniques allowing to evidence the TcO4- were evaluated: no.1 - Papier Whatman 31ET / ethyl acetate; no.2 - Papier Whatman 3MM chr / ethyl acetate; no.3 - ITLC Silica gel / ethyl acetate; no.4 - Baker Flex silica gel aluminium oxide IB-F / ethyl acetate (the method proposed by the laboratory). The technique no.1 has presented a bad reproducibility, as well as percentages of RCP very different from those obtained by the other techniques. The techniques no.2 and no.3, although rapid, are characterized by lower reproducibilities in comparison with technique no.4, with, some times, peaks of undetermined nature on the radio-chromatograms no.3. So, in spite of a slower migration (10 min.) the technique no.4 has been selected from the group as the most reliable technique. For this technique, the comparison between the two modes of reading the chromatography (by means of a radio-chromatograph or by measuring the activity of the two halves of the plate by an activity-meter), has shown no significant difference in RCP. Consequently, this method (Baker Flex / ethyl acetate) may by adapted in any service of nuclear medicine, no matter of its equipment