Diffuse lung uptake of Ga-67 after treatment of lymphoma: is it of clinical importance?

PURPOSE

To determine if diffuse lung uptake (DLU) of gallium-67 at scintigraphy in patients with lymphoma is indicative of lymphomatous involvement of the lungs.

MATERIALS AND METHODS

Thirty-eight patients (24 male, 14 female; aged 15-76 years) with DLU were examined. The relation between DLU and lymphoma was investigated. Radiographic and computed tomographic findings and the persistence of Ga-67 uptake were investigated to detect lymphomatous involvement of the lungs. The relations between chemotherapy and radiation therapy, previous lung or heart disease, and DLU were also examined.

RESULTS

DLU appeared only during or after chemotherapy. No clinical, radiologic, or follow-up evidence indicated that patients with DLU had active lymphomatous involvement of the lungs. The difference in survival between patients with persistent and patients with transient DLU was not statistically significant. No statistically significant correlation between DLU and any possible inductive factor was indicated at multivariate analysis.

CONCLUSION

DLU after treatment does not indicate lymphomatous involvement of the lungs.