Brain tumor localization utilizing mercury 203.

The localization of brain tumors by scintillation scanning has been studied for many years, but has ailed to gain widespread use as a diagnostic tool. In 1960, Bender and Blau (1,4) reported that mercury 203 was localized in some brain tumors and that it was readily eliminated as the compound Neohydrin (mercurated allylurea). In this study we have used Hg203 chlormerodrin (Neohydrin) with a physical half-life of forty-seven days and a single gamma-energy emission of 280 kev (Fig. 1). The material was supplied with an activity of 0.09 millicuries per milligram at a concentration of 5.3 milligrams per milliliter. The low gamma photopeak minimizes the scattering problem and the low energy of the beta particles (210 kev) from mercury 203 reduces the radiation dosage to the patient. Technic: In all patients studied brain tumors were suspected clinically. In all instances, the patients had diagnostic studies such as cerebral arteriograms, ventriculograms and/or skull roentgenograms. Twenty-four hours prior to t...