Objective: To make radioimmunoimaging of bladder tumor simple, safe and reliable.
Methods: Anti-human bladder carcinoma cell line BIU-87 monoclonal antibody-BDI-1 was labelled with technetium -99m by direct mercaptoethanol reducing method.
Results: The labelling rate was 69.6% and the radiochemistry pruity was higher than 95%. 33 patients received radioimmunoimaging of bladder tumor with the intravesical administration of technetium -99m labelled monoclonal antibody. The false positive rate was zero. 88.5% of all 29 bladder cancer patients had got positive immunoscintigraphy results, and 65.2% of them were confirmed by cystoscopic results. Both primary and recurrent tumor could be detected clearly and the smallest tumor detected was 0.5 cm in diameter. There were some differences between the radioimmunoimaging and cystoscopic results in 7 of 11 multitumor cases, which included tumor size, number and location.
Conclusion: It is required to use more suitable isotopes and/or monoclonal antibodies to increase its sensitivity.