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A Comparison of ¹⁹⁷ Mercury and ²⁰³Mercury Chlormerodrin in Clinical Brain Scanning

Galveston, Texas

ABSTRACT

During the past two years, we have employed ²⁰³Hg and ¹⁹⁷Hg chlormerodrin in an active brain scanning program. The results of this clinical experience havebeen analyzed in an effort to determined if results are comparable between these two agents. The overall rate of correctly diagnosing as positive, neoplastic lesions revealed very little difference between ²⁰³Hg (82%) and ¹⁹⁷Hg (88%). In non-neoplastic lesions, results with ¹⁹⁷Hg (75% positive) appeared superior to ²⁰³Hg (50% positive) but the cause of this discrepancy is not clear at the present time. We have observed some attenuation of the softer gamma ray of ¹⁹⁷Hg in some instances where the tumor is distant from the detector, but have not found this to constitute a major problem in clinical practice. We would recommended that the opposite lateral views be performed when ¹⁹⁷Hg is utilized and a negative result is obtained on the original AP and lateral views.

We agree that the search for better and safer brain scanning agents should continue. Hopefully, new agents will offer practical as well as theoretical advantages. ¹⁹⁷Hg chlormerodrin in our experience clinically has given results comparable to those obtained in ²⁰³Hg chlormerodrin with the advantage of a lower radiation dose to the patient.

FOOTNOTES

¹ From the Departments of Neurosurgery, Radiology and Internal Medicine and the Nuclear Medicine Service—The University of Texas Medical Center—Galveston, Texas.