Use of indium-111 as a red cell label

To select the most promising 111In chelate for use as a second red cell (RBC) label for comparison of the survival of autologous and allogeneic cells, 49 normal RBC samples were studied in vitro after being labeled with 111In-8-hydroxyquinolinol (111In-oxine) prepared by three different methods, 111In-tropolone, and 111In-acetylacetone. Labeling efficiencies reached 99 percent and did not decline when the amount of 111In used was increased from 1.75 to 50 muCi per ml of RBCs. Storage of labeled RBCs in normal AB plasma at 4, 22, and 37 degrees C for up to 48 hours resulted in a similar rate of loss of the label from the RBCs with all labeling methods. These rates were time- and temperature-dependent and were accurate predictions of the rates found in later in vivo experimentation. Fresh RBCs from 11 subjects were labeled with 111In chelated with oxine in the presence of the RBCs or chelated with tropolone just prior to the labeling. RBC mass determinations using these autologous RBCs labeled with 111In accurately reflected the subjects' RBC masses as predicted through standard morphometric formulae. The rate of disappearance of the radionuclide after reinfusion of the autologous RBCs decreased with time. At 24 hours after reinfusion, 89.5 +/- 1.29 percent (mean +/- SEM) of the 111In-tropolone and 87.3 +/- 1.25 percent of the 111In-oxine continued in circulation. 111In is a simple and efficient agent for the labeling of RBCs for blood volume determinations and short-term survivals.