Backgrounds: Bleomycin (BLM) has been labeled with radioisotopes and widely used in therapy and diagnosis. In this study BLM was labeled with [⁶²Zn] zinc chloride for oncologic PET studies.

Materials and methods: The complex was obtained at the pH=2 in normal saline at 90 ° C in 60 min. Radio-TLC showed an overall radiochemical yield of 95-97% (radiochemical purity > 97%). Stability of complex was checked in vitro in mice and human plasma/urine.

Results: Preliminary in vivo studies performed to determine complex stability and distribution of [⁶²Zn] BLM in normal and fibrosarcoma-bearing mice. [⁶²Zn] BLM accumulated significantly in induced fibrosarcoma tumors in mice according to bio-distribution/imaging studies.

Conclusion: [⁶²Zn] BLM can be used in PET oncology studies due to its suitable physico-chemical properties as a diagnostic complex in vitro and in vivo. Further studies should be performed for evaluation of the complex behavior in higher animals. Iran . J. Radiat. Res., 2003; 1(1): 37 - 44.