Gallium 67 citrate scanning in neoplastic and inflammatory lesions

A brief review has been made of the uses of radioisotopes of gallium and recent reports of tumour scanning with 67Ga citrate. In our own work 25 patients have been scanned 48–72 hours following an intravenous injection of 2·5 mCi of carrier-free 67Ga citrate. Twenty-four of the 25 patients had proven neoplasia, the remaining patient was found to have breast abscesses. Eight patients showed localized uptake of 67Ga in malignant neoplasms or metastases and in a further two there was doubtful localization. In two patients uptake of 67Ga was shown in inflammatory lesions. Within the group of 15 carcinomas of the breast all positive scans were in locally advanced or metastatic disease. The possible mechanisms for 67Ga localization and clinical implications are briefly discussed.