The significance of isolated gallium-67 uptake in the hilar lymph nodes of an untreated lymphoma patient

Clin Nucl Med. 1993 Dec;18(12):1039-41. doi: 10.1097/00003072-199312000-00006.

Abstract

A 69-year-old woman presented with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma of the right ilioinguinal region in whom bilateral uptake of Ga-67 in hilar lymph nodes was noted on thoracic SPECT. There were no Ga-67 abnormalities elsewhere within the thorax, and a chest CT scan was also normal. The patient received radiotherapy to the inguinal region and remained in clinical remission for 28 months following treatment. She subsequently relapsed at a number of peripheral lymph node sites, but not in the chest. The authors postulate that isolated hilar uptake of Ga-67 SPECT may not be clinically significant in some untreated patients with lymphoma. This scintigraphic finding should be interpreted cautiously, particularly when other chest imaging studies remain negative.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Citrates*
  • Citric Acid
  • Female
  • Gallium Radioisotopes / pharmacokinetics*
  • Humans
  • Leukemia, Lymphocytic, Chronic, B-Cell / diagnostic imaging*
  • Lymph Nodes / metabolism*
  • Lymphoma, Follicular / diagnostic imaging*
  • Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin / diagnostic imaging*
  • Thorax / diagnostic imaging*
  • Thorax / metabolism
  • Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon

Substances

  • Citrates
  • Gallium Radioisotopes
  • Citric Acid