Skip to main content
U.S. Department of Energy
Office of Scientific and Technical Information

Labeled metronidazoles as potential new agents for amebic hepatic abscess imaging

Journal Article · · Nucl.-Med., v. 14, no. 2, pp. 163-171
OSTI ID:4125314

Two new radiopharmaceuticals were developed as possible agents for demonstrating the presence of hepatic amebic abscesses by selective accumulation of these agents in the abscess contents. These agents are: $sup 131$I-labeled Bromometronidazole, that has been shown to possess some of the antibiotic activity of metronidazole or Flagyl; and a technetium 99m-penicillamine-Flagyl complex. A method of radioiodination has been devised which can be performed in radiopharmaceutical laboratories. Both radiopharmaceuticals are of very low toxicity. Distribution studies in animals show accumulation in the liver and elimination by way of the gallbladder. Scintillation camera studies depict a rapid uptake by the liver with subsequent biliary excretion. Animal models for the study of hepatic amebic abscesses are not available. A human patient with suspected amebic abscesses has been studied with negative findings that were confirmed at surgery. Collaborative studies are now in progress in several areas of the world where amebiases is endemic. (orig.)

Research Organization:
Veterans Administration Hospital, Los Angeles, Calif. (USA). Nuclear Medicine and Research Service
NSA Number:
NSA-33-009671
OSTI ID:
4125314
Journal Information:
Nucl.-Med., v. 14, no. 2, pp. 163-171, Journal Name: Nucl.-Med., v. 14, no. 2, pp. 163-171; ISSN NMIMA
Country of Publication:
Germany
Language:
English