Intraoperative radioimmunodetection of colorectal tumor with a hand-held radiation detector

A hand-held gamma detection probe was used intraoperatively to localize primary and recurrent colorectal tumors in 28 patients 48 to 72 hours after they received an intravenous injection of 2.2 mCi of iodine-131 labeled anticarcinoembryonic antigen polyclonal baboon antibody. Preoperative evaluation included determination of serum carcinoembryonic antigen, barium enema, colonoscopy, chest film, computerized axial tomography, liver, spleen, and bone scans, and endoscopy when indicated. Preoperative whole-body imaging correctly localized primary tumors in only 33 percent of the patients, whereas it correctly demonstrated tumor in 64 percent of those with recurrent disease. Intraoperative tumor-to-background ratios derived from the detector probe were elevated in all patients, averaging 3.97:1 in primary lesions and 4.18:1 in recurrent tumors. Postoperatively, carcinoembryonic antigen was localized in tissues with the avidin-biotin peroxidase staining technique to confirm intraoperative readings. Variations in stain uptake in a patient could be correlated with variations in radiation detector readings in the same patient. Results support our previous work in nude mice, demonstrating the improved sensitivity and specificity of the hand-held gamma detection device over whole-body imaging for intraoperative localization of immunoradiolabeled tumors.