Tumor localization in the nasopharynx using radiomercury labeled chlormerodrin.

Various radioisotopes have been used with some success to establish the presence and position of brain tumors. These have included phosphorous 32 (1); iodine 131; iodine 131 diiodofluorescein (2); iodine 131 serum proteins (3,4), and iodine 131 antiserum (5); potassium 42 (6); arsenic 72 and 74 (7,8); and copper 64 (9). In 1960, Blau and Bender reported that radiomercury labeled Neohydrin (chlormerodrin) appeared to be an excellent agent for brain tumor localization using the mechanical scintiscanner (4). Mercury 203 and/or †̃97Hg chlormerodrin has become the radioisotopic agent of choice for brain tumor localization. Subsequently, radiomercury chlormerodrin concentration has been recorded in neoplasms other than brain tumors (10,11). This report concerns the use of 197Hg chlormerodrin in the scintiscan localization of head and neck tumors other than brain tumors.