Heart Imaging with Cationic Complexes of Technetium

The cationic technetium-99 complex trans-[99TC(dmpe)2Cl2]+, where dmpe is bis(1,2-dimethylphosphino)ethane or (CH3)2P-CH2-P(CH3)2, has been prepared and characterized by single-crystal, x-ray structural analysis. The technetium-99m analog, trans-(99mTc(dmpe) 2Cl2]+, has also been prepared and shown to yield excellent gamma-ray images of the heart. The purposeful design, characterization, and synthesis of this technetium-99m radiopharmaceutical represents a striking application of fundamental inorganic chemistry to a problem in applied nuclear medicine.