Anti-CEA immunoscintigraphy and computed tomographic scanning in the preoperative evaluation of mediastinal lymph nodes in lung cancer

Abstract

(109 of 130), respectively. In the same analysis corresponding specificities were 54% (13 negative scans of 24 benign lesions), 80% (103 of 129), and 84% (109 of 130).Clinical studies using indium-111 labelled F(ab')2 fragments of the anti-CEA monoclonal antibody F023C5 have been carried out by our group since November 1987.7 1012 We aimed to evaluate the role of planar and single photoemission computed tomography (SPECT) immunoscintigraphy images in the thoracic assessment of resectability. The present report focuses on the preoperative evaluation of mediastinal lymph nodes which, based on our earlier studies, seemed the most fruitful field of application for immunoscintigraphy. Methods PATIENTS AND STUDY DESIGNEligible patients either had histologically proved lung cancer or were so strongly suspected of having lung cancer to be offered a diagnostic and possibly curative thoracotomy. All were considered operable after a preliminary evaluation based on history, physical examination, blood chemistry and haematological counts, bronchoscopy, lung function tests, chest radiographs and other tests, as required by the results of the above evaluation. Registered patients underwent additional mandatory investigations including anti-CEA immunoscintigraphy (both planar and SPECT images), technetium-99 labelled methylene diphosphonate bone scan, and CT scans of the thorax, upper abdomen, and brain. Other Second Pulmonary