A technetium‐99m red cell survival technique for in vivo compatibility testing

Abstract

A technique for labeling red cells with 99mTc was developed using in vitro reduction by stannous pyrophosphate. The use of 99mTc and 51Cr enabled simultaneous determination of 60 min autologous and heterologous red cell survival using small aliquots. In vivo pretransfusion red cell compatibility in a patient with a panagglutinin was identical to that with 51Cr-labeled cells. Simultaneous testing of 2 heterologous donor U or testing multiple U over a few days was also feasible. In 9 studies (1 patient and 6 healthy controls), no significant elution of the 99mTc was observed over 1 h.