Ultrastructural basis for different pertechnetate uptake patterns by various human brain tumours

• Published in: Journal of neurology, neurosurgery and psychiatry Vol. 42; no. 10; pp. 924 - 930
• Main Authors: Bar-Sella, P, Front, D, Hardoff, R, Peyser, E, Borovich, B, Nir, I
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: England BMJ Publishing Group Ltd 01.10.1979; BMJ Publishing Group LTD
• Subjects: Astrocytoma - diagnostic imaging; Blood-Brain Barrier; Brain Neoplasms - diagnostic imaging; Brain Neoplasms - secondary; Brain Neoplasms - ultrastructure; Glioblastoma - diagnostic imaging; Humans; Intercellular Junctions - ultrastructure; Medulloblastoma - diagnostic imaging; Meningioma - diagnostic imaging; Microscopy, Electron; Pinocytosis; Radionuclide Imaging; Technetium
• ISSN: 0022-3050; 1468-330X
• DOI: 10.1136/jnnp.42.10.924

Patterns of pertechnetate uptake were correlated with ultrastructural properties of the endothelial wall in 14 human brain tumours. In tumours with reduced uptake of the radionuclide, intercellular tight junctions were observed whereas absence of intercellular tight junctions was characteristic of all tumours with an increased uptake of pertechnetate. In some tumours with increased uptake, fenestrated endothelial wall was seen while in others non-fenestrated wall was evident. We concluded that intercellular junctions and not fenestrations affect the permeability of brain tumours to pertechnetate.