PROMINENT UPTAKE OF TI-201 BY DUODENAL LEIOMYOSARCOMA AFTER EXERCISE MYOCARDIAL PERFUSION STUDY

Thallium-201 SPECT performed preoperatively for the evaluation of myoc ardial ischemia in a 72-year-old man with duodenal leiomyosarcoma demo nstrated prominent focal uptake in the abdomen. Comparing a transaxial slice of SPECT through the abdominal uptake to the CT scan, the uptak e was confirmed to be corresponding to the tumor. The tumor was deline ated clearly, in good contrast to the surrounding normal intestine, wh ich showed far less Tl-201 uptake than the tumor. In the delayed SPECT performed 3 hours after injection, although the intestinal activity b ecame perceptible, the tumor still could be differentiated from the su rrounding normal intestine. In this case, the exercise might be attrib utable to the initial low Tl-201 uptake by the normal intestine, which might otherwise have been an obstacle to Tl-201 scintigraphy for abdo minal tumor detection. This case suggests the use of exercise for avoi ding unfavorable intestinal activity, and the possibility of Tl-201 SP ECT for abdominal tumor imaging.