The pharmacokinetics and biodistribution of technetium-99m(V)dimercaptosuccinic acid in an animal tumor model.

This study used an established rabbit tumor model with squamous carcinoma to evaluate the pharmacokinetics and biodistribution of technetium-99m-(V)dimercaptosuccinic acid. A total of 54 rabbits were studied (25 with no tumor; 29 with tumor). Technetium-99m(V)dimercaptosuccinic acid had a bi-exponential blood clearance in rabbits with no tumors (28 and 325 min) and in rabbits with tumors (27 and 352 min). There was no significant difference (p greater than 0.05) in mean clearance times between the two groups and clearance appeared unaffected by tumor mass. Technetium-99m(V)dimercaptosuccinic acid had a bi-exponential cumulative urine excretion with no apparent difference in half-times between non-tumor and tumor rabbit groups (200 and 240 min, respectively). Technetium-99m(V)dimercaptosuccinic acid had a major organ biodistribution in rabbits which included bone, kidneys, bladder and the blood pool. The major route of excretion was via the urine. There was no significant difference (p greater than 0.05) in organ biodistribution between rabbits with no tumors and rabbits with tumors and there was no evidence of active uptake of technetium-99m(V)dimercaptosuccinic acid by either squamous carcinoma or inflammatory tissue.