Objective: To establish a canine model of pulmonary thromboembolism (PTE) for evaluating the effects of thrombolytic therapy.
Methods: The preparations of radioactive blood clots in vitro were made from fresh whole blood (from 6 donors) mixed with (99m)Tc-SC. After eluting the clots with saline solution, the stability and evenness of (99m)Tc-SC in the clots were determined. Then a canine model of PTE induced by these clots was established and the rates of spontaneous lysis were measured by the regions of interest (ROI) technique and the in vitro method.
Results: (99m)Tc-SC was stable in the radioactive blood clots after elution, and the radioactivities in the thrombi were well-distributed. The rates of thrombolysis were (6.2 +/- 4.0)% as measured by ROI and (6.0 +/- 2.7)% by the in vitro method.
Conclusions: (99m)Tc-SC is stable and well-distributed in blood clots. A canine model of PTE can be induced by autologous radioactive blood clots.