Usefulness of TC-99m HMPAO for the detection of primary lung carcinoma

The authors attempted to determine whether imaging with Tc-99m HMPAO in a lipophilic compound could detect primary lung carcinomas. Our series included 12 squamous cell carcinomas, four adenocarcinomas, and one small cell carcinoma. Single photon emission CT of the lung was performed with a rotating gamma camera. A homogeneously increased uptake was found in three squamous cell carcinomas and one adenocarcinoma. A heterogeneously increased uptake (ringlike uptake) was found in six squamous cell carcinomas and two adenocarcinomas. A complete defect consisting of tumor was found in three squamous cell carcinomas and one adenocarcinoma. Thus, all cases except one showed one of these three uptake patterns, but they did not do so at histology