Local vascular access of radioprotein injected subcutaneously in healthy subjects and patients with breast cancer-related lymphedema.

Abstract

Whereas (111)In-HIgG and (99m)Tc-HigG are interchangeable for measurement of depot clearance and contralateral venous accumulation rates, ipsilateral sampling is much more sensitive to protein-free radionuclide and detects significant differences resulting from some instability of (111)In-HIgG. On the basis of (99m)Tc data, there appears to be substantial local vascular access of radioprotein within the arm, both in healthy subjects and in patients with BCRL, through either lymphaticovenous communications or direct transendothelial transport.