Detection of lung cancer with 55Co-bleomycin using a positron camera. A comparison with 57Co-bleomycin and 55Co-bleomycin single photon scintigraphy

Abstract
57Co-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 label 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.