Lung transit of 111Indium-labelled granulocytes. Relationship to labelling techniques.

The early in vivo distribution of 111Indium-labelled granulocytes, recorded by dynamic imaging using a gamma camara and computer, varied according to the separation and labelling technique. Following i.v. bolus injection, 4 kinetic patterns could be identified: (A) rapid transit through the pulmonary vasculature, (B) delayed transit through the lung with clearance by about 30 min, (C) complete retention by the lung, for up to 10 min, followed by slow release over a period of 1 to 2 h, (D) delayed transit through the lung with a similar time course to (B) but with subsequent heavy liver uptake. Granulocytes labelled with 111In-tropolonate and maintained in plasma throughout the labelling procedure, whether injected as a 'pure' (separated by plasma-enriched density gradient centrifugation) or 'crude' (separated by differential centrifugation) preparation, displayed type A kinetics, thought to most closely represent the normal behaviour of granulocytes. 'Crude' cells labelled in saline with 111In-acetylacetonate displayed type B kinetics. 'Pure' cells isolated on Percoll-saline and labelled in saline with 111In-acetylacetonate displayed type C kinetics, thought to represent granulocyte 'stimulation' and/or damage, or type D kinetics, thought to represent severe damage. The importance is stressed of labelling granulocytes for kinetic studies with a technique that results in minimal alteration of cell behaviour.