Analysis of 96 Abnormal Brain Scans Using Technetium 99m (Pertechnetate Form)

Abstract

Technetium 99m, in the pertechnetate form, was evaluated as an agent for brain scanning.^99mTc has a physical half-life of six hours and no particulate radiation emission; large doses (10 to 15 mc) were administered without excessive patient irradiation. The scanning speed was increased and a single view of the brain recorded in five minutes. Because pertechnetate is cleared slowly from the blood, the normal intracranial vascular structures, not seen with chlormerodrin Hg 197 and chlormerodrin Hg 203, are depicted on the scan. In our study of 625 patients, 54 of 65 patients with proved intracranial neoplasia had positive results from brain scans. Forty-one patients with a variety of nonneoplastic intracranial diseases had positive scans.^99mTc, in the pertechnetate form, was found to be as nonspecific as chlormerodrin Hg 197 and chlormerodrin Hg 203 in outlining intracranial disease.