Indium 111-A-bleomycin--a new tracer for imaging orofacial neoplasms

Forty-six patients with maxillofacial squamous cell cancer of variable keratinization underwent radioisotope diagnosis using Indium 111-A-bleomycin. This new technique was applied to expand the battery of diagnostic tools available for detecting maxillofacial neoplasms. Its high specificity (100%) and sensitivity (96%) make it well suited for detection of both local and distant recurrences as well as tumor regrowth. Preliminary whole body retention measurements also indicate that this technique looks promising for potential therapeutic use.