Ga-68 Microspheres and Galligas for lung scintigraphy with PET

To handle the present shortage of Mo-99 in the nuclear medicine community, we offer alternative preparations for lung scintigraphy, Ga-68-labelled DOTA microspheres (DOTA MS) and labelled aerosol, analogously to well-known Technegas.
Over the last three decades, several trials have been made to label HSA microspheres with Ga-68 in an efficient manner and with stability. Biodegradable albumin microspheres (HSAM) have been widely applied for lung perfusion scintigraphy (Tc-99m HSAM) or labelled with Re-188 for internal radiation therapy. We present in vitro and in vivo stability data of Ga-68 DOTA HSAM in Wistar rats.
DOTA-Bz-NCS was reacted with HSAM and labelled with Ga-68 from a Ge-68/Ga-68 generator by a simple and reproducible method in high yields. The in vitro stability of Ga-68-labelled DOTA-HSAM was checked by incubation in human plasma and by challenging with DTPA.
After intravenous injection into a tail vain, the Ga-68 DOTA MS was rapidly filtered from venous blood and accumulated almost quantitatively in the lungs. Radioactivity level then remains constant for at least 30 min (PET studies with microPET P4). Ga-68-labelled particles showed high in vitro stability and almost quantitative accumulation in the lungs after intravenous application. We consider that Ga-68 DOTA HSAM is a potential radiotracer for lung and other organ perfusion studies.
On the other hand, for ventilation, Ga-68 Galligas aerosol for PET imaging is simple to produce in a Technegas apparatus which can produce Ga-68 eluate concentrated in acetone/HCl. It was stable in vivo (tested over 3.5 h) and allows PET imaging in man with 5–10 MBq Ga-68 only.