Excretion of radioactivity in breast milk following⁹⁹Tc^m-Sn Polyphosphate

Abstract

There are several reports of excretion of radioactivity in the breast milk of mothers given 99Tcm-labelled radiopharmaceuticals (Vagenakis et al., 1971; Berke et al., 1973; Wyburn, 1973; Carmody and Highman,1975). This report describes excretion of radioactivity in breast milk following intravenous administration of 99Tcm stannous polyphosphate. This has not been previously reported. Lactating women should not be given radioactive substances unless exceptional circumstances exist. We would like to report the following case. A 31-year-old married coloured American woman was admitted for investigation of right hip pain present for eight months; the pain had started during her recent pregnancy. Labour was complicated by severe backache and right hip pain. She delivered, spontaneously, a normal live female child weighing 3·7 kg. Breast feeding was established satisfactorily.