Two Methods of Preparation of Xenon-133 Saline Solution

Abstract

Two procedures for dissolving ¹³³Xe gas in isotonic saline simply and economically with reasonably high activity concentrations are described. The first method is a modification of a previously described procedure and introduces a new flow-through mixing system allowing for a more homogeneous preparation. This system can be used with significant cost and time savings in a department with large clinical demand (> 3 patients per week). The second method is a system which can be used economically in a department with a small and/or sporadic clinical demand. This technique involves the preparation of single-patient dose by introducing saline into commercially available ¹³³Xe gas vials. The solubility of ¹³³Xe in saline can be significantly increased (> 50%) by introducing saline into a ¹³³Xe gas vial and incubating the reactive vial at 4 °C for 3 hr or more. The suggested modifications are simple and the resultant activity concentrations are relatively high and clinically useful.