Pancreatic scanning using retrograde injection of technetium-99m-labeled compounds.

With increased clinical availability of endoscopic retrograde pancreatography, a method for retrograde injection of radionuclides into the pancreas became available. A dog model was developed to evaluate resolution and toxicity of retrograde imaging prior to human use. Two groups of technetium-99m-labeled compounds were used. The first included ionic carriers--pertechnetate and pyrophosphate--and the second included particulate carriers--sulfur colloid and albumin microspheres. Parenchymal visualization, absorption patterns, and toxicity in dogs were studied. The results suggest that pyrophosphate, sulfur colloid, and albumin microspheres would all be feasible technetium carriers for use in humans.