[Clinical usefulness of Ga-67 scintigraphy and Ga-67 single photon emission computed tomography in sarcoidosis].

Ga-67 scintigraphy was useful in evaluating the extent and relative activity of pulmonary sarcoidosis. It is also helpful detecting the involved lesions in sarcoidosis. The Ga-67 SPECT image was more excellent than planar image, because the SPECT image was able to distinguish abnormal intrapulmonary accumulation, especially, the hilar and mediastinal lymph node accumulation from normal accumulation; sternum, vertebrae, etc, which usually overlap on the planar image. Ga-67 SPECT imaging may also be useful in the diagnosis of myocardial sarcoidosis and in the evaluation of lesions, size and response to corticosteroid therapy. Several data, however, suggest that prediction of the clinical course or the prognosis of patients with pulmonary sarcoidosis is not possible by the degree of pulmonary Ga-67 accumulation.