Imaging of malignant melanoma with In-111-labeled monoclonal antibody (ZME-018) and Ga-67 scintigraphy

Three patients with malignant melanoma intravenously received 3.30 or 3.50 mCi of In-111-labeled anti-human melanoma mouse monoclonal antibody (In-111 MoAb). There was no clinical toxicity in any of the patients. The optimal images were obtained at 72-hr postinjection. Conventional Ga-67 scintigraphy was performed within 20 days for the comparison with imaging with In-111 MoAb. Detectability of tumor imaging with In-111 MoAb for 19 lesions was 58%; that of Ga-67 scintigraphy for 18 lesions was 89%. The positive rate increased in proportion to the size of tumors. Both imaging procedures were common in the light of their higher detectability for superficial than deep-seated lesions. Imaging with In-111 MoAb and Ga-67 scintigraphy were superior in visualizing the skin and superficial lymph nodes and in detecting parenchymal organs, respectively. Imaging with In-111 MoAb has proved complementary to Ga-67 scintigraphy. (Namekawa, K)