99mTechnetium(V) dimercaptosuccinic acid (99mTc(v) DMSA) as a tumour seeking agent in nasopharyngeal carcinoma.

We prepared 99mTechnetium(V) DMSA (pentavalent form) as an imaging agent for eighteen patients with proven nasopharyngeal carcinoma. The head, neck, chest and abdomen were scanned. The nasopharyngeal tumour showed tracer accumulation in only 5 out of the 18 patients (28%). The study indicates that 99mTechnetium(V) DMSA is not a useful radiopharmaceutical for visualising nasopharyngeal tumours although it may have other useful properties.