The value of Ga-67 scintigraphy and F-18 fluorodeoxyglucose positron emission tomography in staging and monitoring the response of lymphoma to treatment

Gallium-67 scintigraphy (GS) has the ability to provide important diagnosti c and prognostic information for the evaluation of patients with lymphoma. GS is superior to morphologic imaging techniques because of its affinity to viable lymphoma cells. The value of GS lies not in the initial diagnosis b ut primarily in assessing the results of treatment and in the follow-up of patients with lymphoma. Nevertheless, GS has not gained the expected wide a cceptance, possibly because of the meticulous technique required and the ex pertise needed for optimal interpretation. The introduction of positron emi ssion tomography (PET) with F-18 fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) as a tumor-seekin g agent, which provides images of superior quality, may have an impact on t he current role of GS in the management of patients with lymphoma. FDG-PET seems to share with GS the advantages of a tumor viability agent. It appear s to be more sensitive for detecting nodal and extranodal sites of disease than GS and may have predictive value during and after therapy for lymphoma . These potential clinical and economic advantages of FDG-PET need to be co nfirmed in systematic, large-scale prospective studies. Copyright (C) 2001 by W.B. Saunders Company.