LOCALIZED AMYLOIDOSIS - I-123 LABELED SAP COMPONENT SCINTIGRAPHY AND LABIAL SALIVARY-GLAND BIOPSY

In apparently localized amyloidosis, there is no appropriate test to d etermine whether systemic deposits exist. We studied the value of seru m amylold P component (SAP) scintigraphy and labial salivary gland (LS C) biopsy on patients with apparently localized amyloidosis in 12 pati ents who had neither clinical nor biological evidence of systemic amyl oidosis. All patients had an LSC biopsy and echocardiography. iodine-1 23-labelled serum amyloid P component ((231)-SAP) scintigraphy was per formed in all patients. Whole-body scintigraphy was done, and tissue r etention was evaluated at 24 h and 48 h. Of these 12 patients, three h ad amyloidosis in their LSG and had abnormal I-123-SAP scintigraphy; t hese three had a secondary clinical history of systemic amyloidosis. T hree other patients had abnormal I-123-SAP scintigraphy without detect able systemic amyloid deposits, but one had a previous history of bila teral carpal tunnel syndrome treated with infiltration. I-123-SAP scin tigraphy in association with LSC biopsy may be helpful in determining the localized or systemic character of amyloid disease.