ABSTRACT
<p><b>OBJECTIVE</b>To evaluate the clinical value of (99m)Tc-Pingyangmycin (PYM) imaging for the diagnosis of primary lung cancer.</p><p><b>METHODS</b>Radionuclide (99m)Tc-Pingyangmycin (PYM) imaging was performed in 56 patients with pulmonary lesions.</p><p><b>RESULTS</b>The uptake ratio and retention index (RI) were different in malignant and benign lesions. With the delayed ratio regarded as the threshold for lung cancer, the overall accuracy, sensitivity and specificity of (99m)Tc-PYM in the diagnosis of lung cancer were 82.1%, 82.7% and 80%, respectively. If RI was regarded as the threshold, the overall accuracy, sensitivity and specificity were 94.6%, 93% and 100%, respectively. There was no significant difference among different histological types of the lung carcinoma.</p><p><b>CONCLUSION</b>(99m)Tc-PYM, as a good imaging agent, is useful in differentiating malignant lung lesions from benign ones.</p>