THE ROLE OF GA-67 SCINTIGRAPHY IN EVALUATING THE RESULTS OF THERAPY OF LYMPHOMA PATIENTS

Gallium-67 scintigraphy using high-dose, modern equipment, and SPECT plays an important role in the evaluation of patients with lymphoma after treatment. Being a viability agent, taken up by lymphomatous, but not by necrotic or fibrotic tissue, it is used to assess the nature of a residual mass after treatment. Gallium also predicts disease-free survival and overall survival after treatment. It is used with high sensitivity and specificity for diagnosis of recurrence after a continuous clinical remission, which is achieved after successful treatment. A potential use for Gallium is in early evaluation, during treatment, of the rapidity of response. This evaluation determines early the effectiveness of therapy in the individual patient. After treatment Ga-67 scintigraphy appears to be superior to computed tomography and probably magnetic resonance imaging. It is used routinely in the management of patients with lymphoma. Copyright (C) 1995 by W.B. Saunders Company