Preferential uptake of zinc, manganese, and rubidium in rat brain tumor

The search for radionuclides that can be an index of viability in proliferating cells is important for nuclear medicine diagnosis of brain tumors. On the basis of the finding that ⁶⁵Zn is preferentially taken up in rat brain tumors, the uptake of various radionuclides was examined in rat brain tumor by using the multitracer technique. Male Fisher rats were intrahippocampally injected with C6 glioma cells. Fourteen days after implantation, the radioactive multitracer solution was injected into the tail vein of tumor-bearing rats. One hour after intravenous injection, the uptake of ⁶⁵Zn, ⁸³Rb and ⁵⁴Mn was relatively high in C6 glioma of 15 radionuclides detected, and was much higher than in other brain regions and in the blood. It is likely that rubidium and manganese, in addition to zinc, are preferentially taken up by tumors in the brain.