In vivo tracing of indium-111 oxine-labeled human peripheral blood mononuclear cells in patients with lymphatic malignancies.

The in vivo migration of [111In]oxine-labeled peripheral mononuclear cells (PMNC) was studied in 20 patients with various lymphatic malignancies and palpable enlarged lymph nodes. The maximal labeling dose of 10 microCi (0.37 MBq) [111In]oxine/10(8) PMNC was found not to adversely influence either cell viability or lymphocyte proliferation in vitro. For in vivo studies, 1.5 X 10(9) PMNC were gained by lymphapheresis and reinjected intravenously after radioactive labeling, 150 microCi (5.55 MBq). The labeling of enlarged palpable lymph nodes was achieved in three out of three patients with Hodgkin's disease and in five out of five with high-malignant lymphoma, whereas three out of seven patients with low malignant lymphoma and no patient with chronic lymphatic leukemia had positive lymph node imaging. We thus conclude that PMNC retain their ability to migrate after [111In]oxine labeling and that these cells traffic to involved lymph nodes of some, but not all hematologic malignancies.