Preparation of 99mTc-ceftazidime as a model of infection imaging agent

Abstract

The radiolabeled antibiotic 99m Tc-ceftazidime was assessed as an infection imaging agent in a mouse model. This paper studied the development of 9 ' lm Tc-ceftazidime for infection imaging. 99m Tc-ceftazidime was obtained at pH 7 with a radiochemical yield of 95±2% by adding 99m Tc to 75 mg ceftazidime in the presence of 50 ug SnCl 2 .2H 2 O. Biodistribution studies in mice were carried out in experimentally induced infection in the left thigh using E-coli. Both thighs of the mice were dissected and counted and the ratio of bacterial infected thigh/contralateral thigh was then evaluated. 99n> Tc-ceftazidime showed high uptake (7YAT=3±0.3) in the infectious lesion and abscess to normal muscle ratio indicating that Tc-ceftazidime could be used for infection imaging.