THE ROLE OF GA-67 SCINTIGRAPHY IN EVALUATING THE RESULTS OF THERAPY OF LYMPHOMA PATIENTS

Gallium-67 scintigraphy using high-dose, modern equipment, and SPECT p lays an important role in the evaluation of patients with lymphoma aft er treatment. Being a viability agent, taken up by lymphomatous, but n ot by necrotic or fibrotic tissue, it is used to assess the nature of a residual mass after treatment. Gallium also predicts disease-free su rvival and overall survival after treatment. It is used with high sens itivity and specificity for diagnosis of recurrence after a continuous clinical remission, which is achieved after successful treatment. A p otential use for Gallium is in early evaluation, during treatment, of the rapidity of response. This evaluation determines early the effecti veness of therapy in the individual patient. After treatment Ga-67 sci ntigraphy appears to be superior to computed tomography and probably m agnetic resonance imaging. It is used routinely in the management of p atients with lymphoma. Copyright (C) 1995 by W.B. Saunders Company