A technetium-99m red cell survival technique for in vivo compatibility testing.

A technique for labeling red cells with Technetium-99m was developed using in vitro reduction by stannous pyrophosphate. The use of Technetium-99m and Chromium-51 enabled simultaneous determination of 60-minute autologous and heterologous red cell survival using small aliquots. In vivo pretransfusion red cell compatibility in a patient with a panagglutinin was identical to that with 51Cr-labeled cells. Simultaneous testing of two heterologous donor units or testing multiple units in the course of a few days was also feasible. In nine studies (one patient and six healthy controls) no significant elution of the 99mTc was observed over 1 hour.