Bone-Seeking Radionuclides: An In Vivo Study of Factors Affecting Skeletal Uptake

The factors governing the skeletal uptake of bone-seeking radionuclides in vivo have not been clearly defined. In this study, the effects of alteration in blood flow (thermal-induced) and alteration in osteogenesis (ricket-induced) on the skeletal uptake of these agents in rats were investigated. In vivo quantitative data were corroborated by the use of autoradiographic and well-counting techniques. Results indicate that the short-term uptake of commonly used bone-scanning agents is closely correlated with blood flow and is largely independent of the rate of osteogenesis.