Summary of Use during Lactation

Information in this record refers to the use of flutemetamol F 18 as a diagnostic agent. No information is available on the use of flutemetamol F 18 during breastfeeding. The manufacturer recommends withholding breastfeeding for 24 hours after a diagnostic dose of 185 MBq (5 mCi). This length of time is about 10 half-lives of fluoride F 18 and less than 0.01% of the radioactivity administered will remain in the body. The mother can nurse just before administration of the radiopharmaceutical. If the mother has expressed and saved milk prior to the examination, she can feed it to the infant during the period of nursing interruption.[1,2]

Mothers concerned about the level of radioactivity in their milk could ask to have it tested at a nuclear medicine facility at their hospital. When the radioactivity is at a safe level she may resume breastfeeding. A method for measuring milk radioactivity and determining the time when a mother can safely resume breastfeeding has been published.[3]

Drug Levels

F18 is a positron emitter with a principal decay energy of 0.6335 MeV, annihilation photons of 0.511 MeV, and a physical half-life of 1.8 hours and 0.07% of an administered dose appears in breastmilk.[4]

Effects in Breastfed Infants

Relevant published information was not found as of the revision date.

Effects on Lactation and Breastmilk

Relevant published information was not found as of the revision date.

References

1.

Mountford PJ, Coakley AJ. A review of the secretion of radioactivity in human breast milk: Data, quantitative analysis and recommendations. Nucl Med Commun. 1989;10:15–27. [PubMed: 2645546]

2.

Early PJ, Sodee DB. Principles and practice of nuclear medicine. 2nd ed. St Louis Mosby-Year Book, Inc 1995:1380-1.

3.

Stabin MG, Breitz HB. Breast milk excretion of radiopharmaceuticals: Mechanisms, findings, and radiation dosimetry. J Nucl Med. 2000;41:863–73. [PubMed: 10809203]

4.

Leide-Svegborn S, Ahlgren L, Johansson L, et al. Excretion of radionuclides in human breast milk after nuclear medicine examinations. Biokinetic and dosimetric data and recommendations on breastfeeding interruption. Eur J Nucl Med Mol Imaging. 2016;43:808–21. [PubMed: 26732471]

Substance Name

Flutemetamol F 18

CAS Registry Number

765922-62-1

Drug Class

Breast Feeding

Lactation

Radiopharmaceuticals

Fluorine Radioisotopes

Diagnostic Agents