Estrogen receptor imaging with 17α-[123I]iodovinyl-11β-methoxyestradiol (MIVE2)—part II. Preliminary results in patients with breast carcinoma

17α-[¹²³I]Iodovinyl-11β-methoxyestradiol was injected into 19 women: group 1 (n = 8), initial evaluation of breast cancer; group 2, (n = 11) postoperative follow-up including 9 patients with bone metastases. The primary tumor (size: 8–10 mm) was visualized by breast tomoscintigraphy in $\text{2}\text{4}$ patients of group 1 with high estrogen receptor concentration (162–445 fmol/mg) and was not detectable in 4 patients with low estrogen receptor concentration (6–32 fmol/mg). Axillary lymph node metastases were detected in 1 patient of group 1 and in 1 patient of group 2. In 4 patients of group 2 with previous primary tumor containing estrogen receptors, MIVE₂ uptake in bone metastases was demonstrated. MIVE₂ scintigraphy is an original, specific and non-invasive method for breast cancer estrogen receptor imaging in primary and in metastatic tumors.