67 Ga for tumor scanning.

Abstract

Summary Gallium-67-citrate was administered to 246 patients. The highest percent of positives was found in patients with bronchial carcinoma, thyroid carcinoma, gastric carcinoma, malignant melanoma, and metastases of unknown primary tumors as well as in Hodgkin9s disease. The series of patients analyzed according to histological classifications showed no dependence of 67Ga accumulation on the morphological type of tumor. Without the use of laxative and enemas the demonstration of 67Ga accumulation in abdominal tumors is complicated by the physiological accumulation in the intestines. The study of the 67Ga accumulation in untreated and treated patients was not conclusive. In 39 patients with nonmalignant disease 67Ga accumulation in the lesion was found in 11, comprising four patients with recent sarcoidosis and one patient with primary tuberculosis. According to biological investigations and measurements of the whole-body retention, the total-body dose normally amounts to 250 mrad/mCi 67Ga.