Synthesis of Labeled Rifabutin Dithiocarbamate: A Potential Mycobacterium Tuberculosis Imaging Agent - Synthesis of Labeled Rifabutin Dithiocarbamate: A Potential Mycobacterium Tuberculosis Imaging Agent - Open Access Pub

In this investigation, Rifabutin dithiocarbamate (RFND) was labeled with Technetium-99m (99mTc) using tricarbonyl technique. The labeled RFND was further characterized in terms of radiochemical purity, stability in saline & serum, in vitro bacterial binding, biodistribution in animal model rats and for scintigraphic accuracy in animal model rabbit. Finally different radiobiological characteristics of the 99mTc(CO)3-RFND was compared with the recently reported 99mTc-RFN. It was observed that the dithiocarbamate form of RFN showed better radiochemical purity, stability in saline, bacterial binding, biodistribution and targeted imaging than the recently reported 99mTc-RFN. These better radiobiological parameters posed 99mTc(CO)3-RFND as a more reliable agent for tuberculosis imaging. DOI10.14302/issn.2572-5424.jgm-16-1352 In the last century, one of the major achievements of the scientists is the development of vaccines and antibiotics that up to a higher extent eliminated or managed majority of the infectious diseases. Besides such tremendous achievements in the diagnosis and treatment of infectious diseases, infection still remains the focus of investigators and even these days infection is believed to be the major cause of morbidity and mortality1, 2. Due to the advancement in clinical pathology, the infectious diseases can be detected through simple laboratory tests and successfully treated with appropriate drugs. However, it is observed that a major fraction of those infections resulting in death could be owing to conditions complicated to detect in its early stages. Early and in time detection in such situations could help in appropriate treatment and hence decrease the chances of death3, 4. Nuclear Medicine Scintigraphic Technology (NMST) provides a different alternative for localization of suspected bacterial infection due its higher sensitivity. In case of deep tissue infection, bone infection, acute life threatening infections which need early appropriate management e.g appendicitis, severe chronic infections occurring due to drug-resistance; and opportunistic infections in immune-compromised persons, one could take advantage of NMST. Such quarries like infection being there or not and its site, severity and potential cause could be answered by using NMST. However, to reply these quarries accurately, the prerequisite is a reliable radio-drug that can accumulate at the site of infection. The radio-drug intended for scintigraphy must answer the above mentioned quarries, but it shall not be toxic, show higher uptake in the target areas, low dose,