Technetium-99m complexes with steroid-2-aminooxyethyliminodiacetic acid conjugates

Conjugates of 2-aminooxyethyliminodiacetic acid with estrone, testosterone, epiandrosterone, 17-alpha-hydroxy-progesterone and progesterone were synthesized and their complexes with Tc-99m were successfully prepared in good yields, which indicated the agent to be promising for metal-labeling of biomolecules and related substances containing one or more carbonyl groups. The biodistribution and scintigraphic studies in mice bearing Ehrlich tumor and mammary tumor showed that the radioactivity accumulated considerably in the tumor tissues, but the tumor images were somewhat obscured.