Takahashi A, Itoh K, Tsukamoto E, Furudate M, Kamiyama H, Abe H
Department of Neurosurgery, Hokkaido University School of Medicine, Sapporo.
Neurol Med Chir (Tokyo). 1993 Jul;33(7):415-9. doi: 10.2176/nmc.33.415.
Tissue-type plasminogen activator (t-PA) effectively lyses active thrombus by direct action. Recombinant t-PA (rt-PA) was labeled with technetium-99m (99mTc) to investigate the in vivo binding to fibrin clots in a feline cerebral embolism model created by insertion of an artificial fibrin clot within the carotid artery. 99mTc-rt-PA administered intravenously provided clearer imaging of clots after priming with cold rt-PA, with uptake peaking 5-10 minutes after the injection. 99mTc-labeled human serum albumin was not retained at clot sites. Systemically administered 99mTc-rt-PA binds to fibrin clots within carotid arteries in our feline model. Our results suggest that the interaction of intrinsic plasminogen activator inhibitors with extrinsically administered rt-PA may regulate the demonstration of a clot, although the precise mechanism is unclear.