The Use of Radioactive Chromium 51 as an Erythrocyte Tagging Agent for the Determination of Red Cell Survival in Vivo 12

Abstract

One of the most useful methods available for the quantitative measurement of hemolytic rates in clinical subjects and for the evaluation of red cell viability after storage is based on the survival of transfused erythrocytes. Access to such data, however, has been restricted because of limitations in the methods hithertofore available for measuring red cell survival in vivo.The differential agglutination method of counting donor cells, the procedure most commonly employed, has limitations in that large transfusions are required;* the donor blood must be devoid of all antigenic isoagglutinins which are not likewise possessed by the recipient; the recipient's cells must contain agglutinogen A or B or M or a combination of the three agglutinogens which is not contained in the donor blood; and, finally, this method excludes the use of autotransfusion, which would eliminate the risk of transmission of hemologous serum jaundice.The labelling of donor cells with radioactive iron (Fe55) permits the conduct of survival studies on a short term basis (1-3) but re-utilization of radioactive iron released from hemolyzed donor cells and the subsequent incorporation of this label in the recipient's red cells preclude its use in studies extending for periods longer than 24 to 48 hours.

Use of alveolar carbon monoxide to measure the effect of ribavirin on red blood cell survival†

“…The disappearance of the tagged cells from the circulation is then monitored, a process that requires a follow-up period of more than 120 days for subjects with normal survival [12,13]. The only methodology employed with any frequency in the clinical situation involves labeling of circulating RBCs (most commonly with 51 Cr) and then following the disappearance of the labeled cells from the circulation [14,15]. In addition to inaccuracies resulting from elution of the label, this method requires repeated venesections over a multi-week period to obtain a single survival measurement.…”

Radioactivity Over the Spleen and Liver Following the Transfusion of Chromium51-Labelled Erythrocytes in Hemolytic Anemia1

“…The technique of red cell labelling and estimating erythrocyte survival with radioactive chromium used in this study is similar to that employed by Ebaugh, Emerson and Ross (22 Table II). Patient J. T. received his own labelled red cells and is illustrated on the right.…”

The Destruction of Red Cells by Antibodies in Man. I. Observations on the Sequestration and Lysis of Red Cells Altered by Immune Mechanisms1

“…Cr' in the form of NaCr'042 was employed for red cell labelling (31) as adapted for studies of red cell survival by Ebaugh, Emerson, and Ross (32). Volumes of sodium chromate solution possessing an activity of 100 to 150 microcuries of Cr' were added to 30 to 40 ml.…”

“…Although the hemolytic effect of hemolysins in vivo may be inferred from their manifest effects in vitro, the mechanism of the hemolytic action in vivo of agglutinating and of sensitizing antibodies has remained obscure. In the present study, use was made of the Cr' method for labelling small volumes of red cells for red cell survival studies (31,32) and for determining the sites of red cell sequestration in living subjects (33). The subjects on whom observations were made included normal adults who had previously suffered accidental isoimmunization through transfusion or pregnancy.…”