Ultrastructural basis for different pertechnetate uptake patterns by various human brain tumours

Patterns of pertechnetate uptake were correlated with ultrastructural properties of the endothelial wall in 14 human brain tumours. In tumours with reduced uptake of the radionuclide, intercellular tight junctions were observed whereas absence of intercellular tight junctions was characteristic of all tumours with an increased uptake of pertechnetate. In some tumours with increased uptake, fenestrated endothelial wall was seen while in others non-fenestrated wall was evident. We concluded that intercellular junctions and not fenestrations affect the permeability of brain tumours to pertechnetate.