Detection of lung cancer with 55Co-bleomycin using a positron camera. A comparison with 57Co-bleomycin and 55Co-bleomycin single photon scintigraphy.
57-Co-bleomycin is useful in the detection and staging of lung cancer, but the long half-life of 57Co (270 days) has discouraged its widespread acceptance. We investigated the shorter living positron emitting 55Co (half-life 18.2 h) as a level for bleomycin. In eleven patients with proven lung cancer scintigraphy with 55Co-bleomycin, using a positron camera, demonstrated the tumor in ten cases. Tumor to lung ratios were calculated. The results were superior to those obtained with 55Co-bleomycin single photon imaging but inferior to those obtained with 57Co-bleomycin scintigraphy.
D000368:Aged; D001761:Bleomycin / Q000031:analogs & derivatives; D002294:Carcinoma, Squamous Cell / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology; D003037:Cobalt Radioisotopes; D005188:False Negative Reactions; D006207:Half-Life; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009367:Neoplasm Staging; D011859:Radiography; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging
D003037:Cobalt Radioisotopes; C030187:cobalt bleomycin; D001761:Bleomycin