Bergonzi M, Foresti V
Minerva Med. 1976 Oct 27;67(51):3335-42.
18 cases of anatomically verified lung cancer were studied scintigraphically with microspheres of human albumin labelled with 99Tc, mercury bichloride (197Hg) and citrate of gallium (67Ga), to assess the diagnostic value of this technique. Using albumin microspheres, changes in the scintigraphic picture were obtained in 100% of cases, but inferior results were obtained with the two other tracers (gallium 75% and mercury bichloride 58.8%). The poor specificity of scintigraphy with albumin, which was changed in numerous non-neoplastic pathologies, removes all significance from this apparently brilliant result. From an overall assessment of all three scintigraphies, no increase in positivity percentages is obtained; the agreement of all three with respect to the neoplastic nature of the condition is however very good. Although possible conclusions are less favourable than those reported by other workers, the investigation with radioisotopes plays an important rôle in the diagnosis of lung tumours, in view also of its harmlessness and tolerability, although it is not enough on its own for diagnosis. Large series and constant anatomical and histological monitoring are needed before any definitive assessment can be attempted of the diagnostic value of this method.
