TL-201 SINGLE-PHOTON EMISSION COMPUTED-TOMOGRAPHY AS AN INDICATOR OF PROGNOSIS FOR PATIENTS WITH LUNG-CARCINOMA

BACKGROUND. The uptake of thallium-201 (Tl-201) in malignant tumors is associated with malignant potential (metastatic potential and prolife rative activity). The grade of accumulation of Tl-201 in malignant tum ors may provide information regarding prognosis. METHODS. A Tl-201 sin gle photon emission computed tomography was conducted 120 minutes afte r intravenous injection of 111 megabecquerel of Tl-201 chloride. The a uthors calculated the uptake ratio to evaluate the degree of Tl-201 up take in the primary tumor. This ratio was compared with survival time and other prognostic factors. RESULTS. The authors studied 152 patient s (125 men and 27 women). The group of patients with the low Tl-201 up take ratio survived longer than the group of patients with the high Tl -201 uptake ratio (median survival, 58 weeks vs. 33 weeks; P = 0.0138 bp the log rank test). The multivariate analysis confirmed that the Tl -201 uptake ratio was an independent prognostic factor for survival. C ONCLUSIONS. These results suggest that the Tl-201 uptake ratio provide s independent and objective prognostic information for patients with l ung carcinoma. (C) 1997 American Cancer Society.