Radioimmunoimaging of venous thrombi using iodine-131 monoclonal antibody.

Murine monoclonal antibody (Mab) specific for the NH2-terminal region of human fibrin, but not cross-reactive with fibrinogen, was used in radioimmuno-imaging of fresh, induced venous thrombi in three dogs. Iodine-131-labeled Mab was injected intravenously, with iodine 125-labeled polyclonal murine gamma-G globulin (IgG) simultaneously injected as a control. Images were strongly positive at 24 and 48 hours in all three animals, with thrombus-to-blood and thrombus-to-muscle ratios of 8.4 and 228.0, respectively, for I-131-labeled Mab; these ratios for control IgG were 1.2 and 13.0. Radioimmunodetection of thrombi in vivo is feasible in dogs and may have clinical application since Mab is specific to human fibrin.