Balloon Radioautography in Differentiation of Benign and Malignant Gastric Lesions

I. Introduction  THAT various malignant tumors can selectively concentrate phosphorus (utilizing radioactive ³²P as a label) has been well documented by many authors.^1-4 In general, in vivo evaluation of ³²P concentration in neoplastic lesions had been limited to readily accessible tumors which could be counted directly with Geiger-Müller probes. Nakayama ⁴ did explore in vivo counting of esophageal and gastric neoplasms with considerable success.In 1960, Ackerman and his associates ⁵ described a new radioautographic technique to permit in vivo detection of gastric neoplasms. After the intravenous administration of ³²P, a rubber balloon coated with a photosensitive emulsion is introduced into the stomach. The degree of darkening of the photosensitive surface of the balloon is a measure of the degree of radioactivity of the stomach.The accuracy of balloon radioautography in the differentiation of benign and malignant gastric lesions in comparison with the accuracy of exfoliative