Semiquantitative gallium scintigraphy in patients with osteogenic sarcoma.

Sequential gallium scans were performed in 37 patients with newly diagnosed osteogenic sarcoma. High gallium uptake was found more often in males in the 10 to 19 age group and in femoral lesions. High uptake was also seen in patients who had predominantly osteoblastic or mixed changes on radiographs and in those who had a soft tissue mass. Following chemotherapy, significant decrease of tumor to nontumor ratio occurred in the patients who responded to treatment as shown by a Grade III or IV response on histologic examinations at the time of en bloc resection. It is concluded that semiquantitative gallium scintigraphy is useful in monitoring therapeutic response in patients with osteogenic sarcoma.