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STUDY OF THE DIFFUSION OF Tc 99m INJECTED INTO
AN ACUPUNCTURE POINT
ON THE BODY AND INTO A POINT OUTSIDE ACUPUNCTURE MERIDIAN.
By Dr. Carlo Maria Giovanardi,
Dr. Enrico Lonardo,
Prof. Achille Abbati.
(Translated from Italian)
In the latest years several works have been published about the use of radioactive
tracers in order to
demonstrate the existence of the acupuncture meridians.
The results obtained have always been different.
This study was started in 1988; it refers to the analysis of the migration of
tracer after the administration of Tc-99-m-Pertechnetate into an acupuncture
point and into another point outside the meridian but near it.
Methods and Materials
After having placed two markers in the prossimale and distale extremity of the
patient's left radius, the examined extremity was carefully positioned.
A gamma camera (selo 73 Foto-tubi collimator at high resolution; window from 120 to 160 kew),
connected to Apex 009 computer, was employed.
37 Mbq.Tc-99-m-Pertechnetate in precisely measured 0.10 ml. was first given subcutaneously into
a point outside the meridian in the extremity of the elbow fold, at a distance of 1.5 cm. from
the acupuncture point LI-11 (QUCHI). The absence of blood reflux from vessels
was carefully checked by means of aspiration.
A second injection was given into L.I.4 (HEGU) acupuncture point located in the hand.
The needle used had a diameter of 4mm. and 0.4mm.
Every two seconds detections of tracer in sequences were carried out and successively
images at "stading stade" appeared; these images were reproduced using a Polaroid camera.
Six healthy cases underwent this study.
Results
Five out of six cases, the Tc-99-m-Pertechnetate injection into the point outer acupuncture meridian
produced a "stain"-shaped stagnation radioactivity persisting some minutes:
Case no.1 = 5 minutes
Case no.2 = 5 minutes
Case no.3 = 8 minutes
Case no.4 = 6 minutes
Case no.5 = 30 minutes
Case no.6 after 10 minutes from the time of injection, a line-shaped radioactivity
appeared migrating from the point of radiotracer administration towards the shoulder.
On the contrary the second injection into the acupuncture point located in the hand, had
the following results: in all cases, after a few seconds, a regular line-shaped radioactivity
appeared, joining the two markers and migrating towards the shoulder, following the meridian
path, in the extreme edge of camera field of view.
The following times were surveyed at the elbow:
Case no.1 = 15 seconds
Case no.2 = 30 seconds
Case no.3 = 5 seconds
Case no.4 = 3 minutes
Case no.5 = 16 seconds
Case no.6 = 10 seconds
Conclusions
By means of this study we do not want to demonstrate the existence or not of the
acupuncture meridians; our aim is to underline the importance of the following data:
1.The different results obtained after the Tc-99-m-Pertechnetate injection given
into the two points: a persisting stagnation of radioisotope into the point outside
the meridian (some minutes), a rapid migration of radioisotope from the acupuncture
point following the path of a traditional acupuncture meridian.
These results could be explained taking into consideration the different
lympho-venous vascular system of the two points analyzed; but two elements
seem to exclude this possible explanation: the certain absence of blood
reflux during the aspiration when the injection was given and the results
of other studies, in particular the work by Dr. Jiahe Tian, Director of
Nuclear Medicine Department of Military Post-Graduate Medical School of Beijing.
He employed Tc-99m-Antimony Colloid instead of Pertechnetate, excluding in this
way a possible role of lymphatic system.
2.On case no.6., Tc-99m tracer migrated at 10th second from the point outside
meridian towards the
shoulder. It is difficult to make hypotheses: could it be technical mistake,
subjective dimension of the point or something else.
We may end by saying that we believe the use of radioisotope an objective,
physiologic, in-vivo means which has the aim to demonstrate the existence
of the Acupuncture Meridian System already codified by Traditional Chinese Medicine
several centuries ago.
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By Dr. Carlo Maria Giovanardi, President of Acupuncture Doctors Association of Bologna (A.M.A.B.),
Italian-Chinese School of Acupuncture, Italy;
Dr. Enrico Lonardo, Nuclear Medicine, Bologna, Italy;
Prof. Achille Abbati, Director of Nuclear Medicine Department Maggiore Hospital, Bologna, Italy.
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