This　work　reports　the　synthesis,　radiolabeling　and　imaging　studies　of　iodine-124　labeled　peptide　modified　gold　nanoclusters　(AuNCs)　as　positron　emission　tomography　(PET)　tracer　for　lung　cancer.　The　novel　modified　Au　nanoclusters　were　successfully　synthesized　by　conjugation　of　tumor-targeting　peptide　luteinizing　hormone　releasing　hormone　(LHRH)　to　human　serum　albumin　(HAS)　as　a　scaffold,　resulting　in　73%　labeling　yield　of　I-124-LHRH-HSA　AuNCs.　After　rapid　purification,　the　radiochemical　purity　was　above　98%.　Dynamic　PET　study　in　normal　rats　showed　high　liver　accumulation　and　rapid　lung　clearance.　Both　the　PET　and　fluorescence　imaging　in　A549　xenografted　tumor　model　demonstrated　certain　amount　of　tumor　uptake.　In　orthotopic　lung　cancer　model,　the　tumor　sites　could　be　clearly　visualized　between　2　to　5　hours　in　PET　images.　The　higher　radioactivity　concentration　in　the　left　lung　which　inoculated　orthotopic　tumor　than　right　lung　also　exhibited　the　targeting　properties.　The　biological　properties　of　this　iodine-124　labeled　nanoclusters　afford　potential　applications　for　early　diagnosis　of　lung　cancer　with　PET.