QC of radiopharmaceuticals Flashcards

1
Q

What does Quality Assurance encompass in the context of radiopharmaceuticals?

A

The total process of in-house preparation and administration of radiopharmaceuticals to the patient

It includes quality control testing of dose calibrators and radiopharmaceuticals, proper dispensing, record keeping, and testing of radiopharmaceuticals.

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2
Q

What are the key components involved in achieving satisfactory quality assurance (QA)?

A
  • Radiochemical analysis
  • Environmental control and monitoring
  • Adequate training of personnel
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3
Q

Name the categories of quality control tests for radiopharmaceuticals.

A
  • Physicochemical Tests
  • Biologic Tests
  • Pharmaceutical Purity
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4
Q

What are the physicochemical tests performed on radiopharmaceuticals?

A
  • Physical Appearance
  • Chemical Purity
  • Radionuclidic Purity
  • Radiochemical Purity
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5
Q

What is assessed under the Physical Appearance test for radiopharmaceuticals?

A
  • Color
  • State (true solution or colloid)
  • Particulate presence
  • Particle size and number
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6
Q

What is the ideal pH for radiopharmaceuticals?

A

7.4 (although it can vary between 2 and 9)

This pH range is due to the high buffer capacity of blood.

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7
Q

Fill in the blank: Radiopharmaceuticals for I.V. use should be _______.

A

[isotonic]

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8
Q

What are some specific chemical impurities that can affect chemical purity?

A
  • Excessive amounts of Tc-99g in Tc-99m preparation
  • Aluminum (Al) breakthrough
  • Excess or less SnCl2
  • Traces of globulins in Albumins
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9
Q

What is the contamination limit for Aluminum (Al) in radiopharmaceutical preparations?

A

10 µg/mL

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10
Q

Define Radionuclidic Purity.

A

The fraction or percentage of the total radioactivity in the form of the desired radionuclide present in a radiopharmaceutical.

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11
Q

What are the disadvantages of Radionuclidic impurities?

A
  • Increases undue radiation to the patient
  • May obscure scintigraphic images
  • Causes Radiolysis of radiopharmaceuticals
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12
Q

What is the acceptable limit for Radionuclide impurities in generator eluate?

A

< 5%

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13
Q

What is the purpose of the Dose Calibrator in the quality control of radiopharmaceuticals?

A

To assay (read) the activity of radiopharmaceuticals prior to administration to the patient.

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14
Q

List the tests performed to assure the proper functioning of the Dose Calibrator.

A
  • Constancy test
  • Linearity test
  • Accuracy test
  • Geometry test
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15
Q

What is Radiochemical Purity defined as?

A

The fraction or percentage of the total radioactivity in the preparation present in the defined chemical form of the constituent radionuclide.

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16
Q

What analytical methods are used to determine Radiochemical impurities?

A
  • Instant Thin-Layer Chromatography (ITLC)
  • Paper chromatography
  • Column gel chromatography
  • Filtration
  • Precipitation
  • Ion exchange
  • Solvent extraction
  • High-Performance Liquid Chromatography (HPLC)
  • Distillation
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17
Q

True or False: Additives, buffers, acids, alkalis, and preservatives are considered chemical impurities.

A

False

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18
Q

What factors can cause Radiochemical impurities in a radiopharmaceutical?

A
  • Solvent action
  • Change in temperature or pH
  • Light exposure
  • Presence of oxidizing or reducing agents
  • Radiolysis
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19
Q

What does the abbreviation F (%) represent in chromatographic analysis?

A

F represents the fraction of the total activity in the sample.

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20
Q

What is the purpose of checking the Tc-99m - MDP Analysis sheet?

A

To ensure the quality control of the radiopharmaceutical.

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21
Q

What equipment is needed for chromatographic analysis of 99mTcO4- and 99mTcO2?

A
  • ITLC-SG paper x 2 (10cm strip)
  • 1ml Acetone in McCartney bottle
  • 1ml 0.9% saline McCartney bottle
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22
Q

What is the first step in the chromatographic method for 99mTc-MDP?

A

Place a drop of 99mTc-MDP on to the origin of a strip of ITLC-SG paper and place it into 1ml of Acetone.

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23
Q

What does Tube 1 (Rf = 0) contain in the chromatographic analysis?

A

99mTc-MDP and hydrolysed-reduced 99mTc.

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24
Q

How is the % free pertechnetate (A) calculated?

A

% free pertechnetate (A) = tube 2 x 100 / (tube 1 + tube 2)

25
Q

What is the significance of a long or over air drying of the sample spot in chromatography?

A

It can lead to artifacts formation.

26
Q

What is the acceptable pH range for NaTcO4-99m as per QC checks?

27
Q

What does a radionuclidic purity greater than 99.9% indicate?

A

It indicates that more than 99.9% of the activity at the end of elution is due to Tc-99m.

28
Q

What is the main challenge regarding quality control of radiopharmaceutical products?

A

Their short half-life.

29
Q

What are the two basic methods for testing sterility?

A
  • Culture method
  • Radiometric testing
30
Q

What is the principle of the culture method for testing sterility?

A

Inoculation of growth media with random or suspicious samples and checking for growth.

31
Q

What is the incubation temperature for the culture method in sterility testing?

A

30-35°C for aerobic and anaerobic bacteria.

32
Q

What is the principle of radiometric testing for sterility?

A

Incubate the sample in growth medium containing C-14 glucose and measure C-14 activity.

33
Q

What is the sterilization method used for thermo-stable aqueous solutions?

A

Autoclaving at 121°C under 18 psi for 15-20 minutes.

34
Q

What does the term ‘apyrogenicity’ refer to?

A

The absence of pyrogens or bacterial metabolic by-products.

35
Q

Which test is officially known as the LAL test?

A

The bacterial endotoxin test (BET).

36
Q

What are endotoxins known to cause?

A

Fever, septic shock, and other disease symptoms.

37
Q

What are the advantages of the LAL test?

A
  • Very sensitive
  • Fast
  • Small volume
  • Includes positive and negative controls
  • Lower cost
38
Q

What is the main aim of toxicity tests for radiopharmaceuticals?

A

To determine toxicity limits and the type of toxicity.

39
Q

What is the principle behind tests for acute toxicity?

A

Administering large doses to different groups of animals and observing them for toxic manifestations.

40
Q

What must be ensured regarding the pharmaceutical purity of radiopharmaceuticals?

A

Freedom from toxicity, sterility, and apyrogenicity.

41
Q

What is a critical aspect of the efficacy of radiopharmaceuticals?

A

Good quality diagnostic information resulting from their use.

42
Q

What is the primary route of excretion for Tc-99m?

A

Primarily via GIT and kidneys.

43
Q

What percentage of Tc-99m is recovered in urine over 24 hours?

44
Q

What is the significance of biodistribution studies for radiopharmaceuticals?

A

To assure their in vivo retention and elimination.

45
Q

What does the term ‘bio distribution’ refer to in the context of radiopharmaceuticals?

A

The distribution of the radiopharmaceutical in target and non-target organs.

46
Q

What is the typical time frame for measuring the biodistribution of a radiopharmaceutical in studies?

A

After a fixed time post-injection, usually involving the sacrifice of the experimental animal.

47
Q

What does 50/60 refer to in pharmacology?

A

Lethal dose at which 50% of animals die in 60 days

48
Q

What aspects of purity are covered under Pharmaceutical Purity?

A

All relevant aspects of purity other than chemical, radiochemical & radionuclidic purity

49
Q

What are essential requirements for all human parenteral products?

A

Sterility, apyrogenicity & freedom from toxicity

50
Q

How is the efficacy of a radiopharmaceutical defined?

A

In terms of good quality diagnostic information resulting from its use

51
Q

What are the characteristics of excellent quality scintigraphic images?

A

High target to non-target ratios & selective dose delivery

52
Q

What must be ensured for the in-vivo stability of radiopharmaceutical preparations?

A

The product must be appropriately formulated

53
Q

What is a common observation in patients indicating defects in radiopharmaceuticals?

A

Unexpected biodistribution

54
Q

Which factors affect the integrity of radiopharmaceuticals?

A
  • Radionuclidic purity
  • Radiochemical purity
  • Specific activity
  • Particle size
  • pH
  • Sterility / apyrogenicity
55
Q

What handling techniques can affect the integrity of radiopharmaceuticals?

A
  • Injection technique into the patients
  • Faulty syringe
  • Dispensing/dilution technique
  • Contamination of Radiopharmaceuticals with components of syringe
  • Same syringe to dispense several products
  • Storage condition
  • Poor transport condition
56
Q

What aspects are of prime importance in certain radiopharmaceutical products?

A
  • Particle size of colloids & aggregated formulations
  • Optimum number of particles in human dose
  • Presence of stabilizers
57
Q

What is significant for ensuring high in-vivo stability of labeled preparations?

A

Mode of incorporation of the labeling radionuclide & the site of labeling

58
Q

What must be assured for labeled antibodies used in RadioImmunoScintigraphy (RIS) & RadioImmnoTherapy (RIT)?

A

The specific immunoreactivity of the labeled antibody