Use of Thin Layer Chromatography for the Determination of Radiochemical Purity of Radiopharmaceuticals in Nuclear Medicine Services of Paraiba and Rio Grande do Norte, Brazil

Abstract

The paper chromatography and the thin layer chromatography are separation techniques in which theradioactive components migrate because of their affinity with the eluent (mobile phase) or stationaryphase, respectively. In radiopharmaceuticals labeled with 99mTc, besides its own radiopharmaceutical,99mTcO4- free and TcO2 can be identified and quantified. The evaluation of radiochemical purity ofradiopharmaceuticals is essential to produce images free of artifacts as well as avoid unnecessaryabsorbed dose to the patient. Once they are managed in humans it is important and necessary that theyundergo to strict quality control. Because of this, ANVISA in its “Resolução da Diretoria Colegiada”(RDC) 38 of June 4th, 2008 states the obligation of performing a minimum of tests in nuclear medicineservices routine prior to human administration. This work evaluated, by the method of thin layerchromatography (TLC), radiochemical purity, determined the pH of the radiopharmaceutical DEXTRAN-500, DMSA, DTPA, PHYTATE, MDP, MIBI and Sn-Col used in nuclear medicine services in the statesof Paraíba and Rio Grande do Norte - Brazil. The results show that the use of thin layer chromatography(TLC) as a standard method in routine of nuclear medicine services is possible, because it providesimportant data for the evaluation of radiochemical purity, allowing the exclusion of a radiopharmaceuticalpoorly marked.