Staging non-small cell carcinoma of the lung using technetium-99m-labeled monoclonal antibodies.

A technetium-labeled monoclonal antibody was administered to 52 patients with non-small cell lung carcinoma, either to stage the mediastinum preoperatively or to detect distant metastases. Results from planar and tomographic imaging are compared to CT and histologic confirmation. Differences in detection rates and predictive values between imaging modalities are discussed. The authors conclude that imaging with a technetium-labeled monoclonal antibody is safe and accurate and may be useful for staging patients with either operable or inoperable non-small cell lung cancer.