TECHNETIUM-99M-TETROFOSMIN SPECT IMAGING OF LUNG MASSES - A NEGATIVE STUDY

Technetium-99m-tetrofosmin has emerged as a new radiopharmaceutical fo r myocardial imaging, in competition with Tl-201 and Tc-99m-MlBI. In t his study, Tc-99m-tetrofosmin was evaluated for its ability to detect malignant and benign lesions from single solid lung masses. Methods: F orty-nine patients with a single solid lung mass based on chest radiog raph findings received Tc-99m-tetrofosmin SPECT of the chest to evalua te the value of Tc-99m-tetrofosmin SPECT for detecting malignant and b enign lesions. Results: Only 61% of the lung malignancies were detecte d by Tc-99m-tetrofosmin SPECT of the chest, including 53% of epidermoi d carcinoma (ca), 67% of adeno ca, 75% of small-cell ca, 0% of undiffe rentiated large-cell ca and 100% of other lung malignancies. In additi on, 50% of the benign lesions were detected by chest Tc-99m-tetrofosmi n SPECT. The probability of tetrofosmin uptake in the mass was not rel ated to mass size. The diagnostic sensitivity, specificity and accurac y were 61%, 50% and 59%, respectively, for differentiating malignant a nd benign lesions when diagnosing a single solid lung mass. Conclusion : Technetium-99m-tetrofosmin SPECT of the chest is of little or no val ue for the detection of lung ca from single solid lung masses.