Kinetics of hypodermically injected technetium-99m and correlation with cutaneous structures: an experimental study in dogs

We investigated the involvement of cutaneous structures in specific linear migration pathways of technetium-99m pertechnetate hypodermically injected at points of low electrical resistance in the metacarpus of male beagles. Skin-deep incisions were made in the front or back legs on either the same side as the 99mTc injection or on the opposite side. Incisions in the back legs did not affect the migration pattern. Incisions in the front legs before the injection of 99mTc prevented tracer migration. After the injection of 99mTc, incisions in the front contralateral leg caused sudden cessation of the migration, while incisions in the ipsilateral leg caused immediate disappearance of the pathway previously observed. Radioactivity was not detected in flaps obtained from the skin overlying the migration pathway or from the corresponding area of the contralateral leg. In conclusion, the specific linear migration pathways of 99mTc hypodermically injected at points of low electrical resistance cannot be explained by any known biological function. Although the migration of 99mTc does not seem to be strongly linked to any cutaneous structure, the skin overlying the radioactive pathway and the corresponding area of the contralateral leg must be intact if tracer migration is to take place.