SOFT-TISSUE TUMORS - DIAGNOSIS WITH TC-99M (V) DIMERCAPTOSUCCINIC ACID SCINTIGRAPHY

PURPOSE: to assess the potential of technetium-99m (V) dimercaptosucci nic acid (DMSA) scintigraphy for diagnosis of soft-tissue tumors. MATE RIALS AND METHODS: Tc-99m (V) DMSA scintigraphy was performed in 76 pa tients with histologic proof of soft-tissue tumors. In 57 of these pat ients, gallium-67 citrate scintigraphy was performed within 2 weeks af ter Tc-99m (V) DMSA scin-tigraphy. RESULTS: Uptake of Tc-99m (V) DMSA was clearly detected in almost all sarcomas, metastatic carcinomas, hi ghly recurrent benign tumors (ie, extraabdominal desmoids and teno-syn ovial giant cell tumors), superficial and deep hemangiomas, and granul omatous soft-tissue lesions but was not found in other benign solid tu mors of soft tissue. Uptake of Ga-67 citrate was clearly detected in a ll inflammatory lesions and metastatic carcinomas, eight of 14 sarcoma s (57%), and two of 10 highly recurrent benign tumors (20%) but was no t found in hemangiomas or benign soft-tissue tumors. CONCLUSION: Low-g rade malignant and highly recurrent benign lesions, which often recur after surgery, were detected more accurately with Tc-99m (V) DMSA scin tigraphy than with Ga-67 citrate scintigraphy.