Nineteen patients with biopsy-proven cerebral gliomas were studied with 99mTc-HMPAO single photon emission tomography (SPECT) imaging and X-ray computed tomography (CT). The uptake of 99mTc-HMPAO was correlated with tumour size and morphology as shown by X-ray CT, and overall patient survival. It appears that uptake of 99mTc-HMPAO is associated with larger, ill-defined tumours and was an adverse factor in patient survival. In those tumours with normal or increased uptake, 99mTc-HMPAO imaging is useful in distinguishing the tumour margin from surrounding oedema.