Introduction: the aim of this work was to quantify the effects of injection volume at different technetium-99m specific radiotracer doses on its lymphatic movement in animal model.Procedures: Effects of injection volume (50, 100 mu l) at different doses (0.05, 0.135, 0.22 nmol) on popliteal node (PN) detection were studied in rats. the radiotracer under study was (99m)Technetium-cysteine-mannose-dextran conjugate (30 kDa).Results: At 0.05 nmol dose, higher PN uptake was observed at 50 mu l injection volume (2.6 fold increase). Conversely, at 0.135 nmol dose, an increase of radiotracer retention in PN was achieved at 100 mu l volume, 78% higher than 50 mu l. However, at 0.22 nmol close, the injection volume changes did not influence on the PN uptake. Considering as suitable radiotracer performance: high PN uptake and extraction, better combinations were 0.05 nmol/50 mu l, 0.135 nmo1/100 mu l, 0.22/50 mu l.Conclusion: Suitable performances could be reached by proper combinations of dose, injection volume and concentration for a specific radiotracer used in sentinel lymph node detection. Crown Copyright (C) 2012 Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.National Commission for Nuclear Energy (CNEN, São Paulo, Brazil)Conselho Nacional de Desenvolvimento Científico e Tecnológico (CNPq)International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA, Vienna, Austria)CovidienGuerbetInst Energet & Nucl Res, Radiopharm Ctr, BR-05508000 São Paulo, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Fac Med, BR-04020041 São Paulo, SP, BrazilUniversidade Federal de São Paulo, Fac Med, BR-04020041 São Paulo, SP, BrazilWeb of Scienc
