A Comparison Study of Pentavalent Technetium-99m-DMSA Scintigraphy and Gallium-67-Citrate Scan in Lymphoma: A Preliminary Report

Received 9/2/2002; accepted 10/30/2002. For correspondence or reprints contact: Shung-Shung Sun, M.D., Department of Nuclear Medicine, China Medical College Hospital, 2 Yuh-Der Road, Taichung 404, Taiwan. Tel: (886)4-22052121 ext. 3475, Fax: (886)4-22023442, E-mail:[email protected] Background: Pentavalent Tc-dimercaptosuccinic acid (Tc(V)-DMSA) is a new tumor imaging agent which has been used to image not only in various malignant tumors, but also in some inflammatory diseases, in competition with gallium-67 citrate (Ga). This study was undertaken to compare the clinical value of Tc(V)-DMSA and Ga in lymphoma patients. Methods: Twelve patients (7 men and 5 women ranging in age from 24 to 87 years) with malignant lymphoma (3 Hodgkin’s lymphoma, 8 non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma and one MALToma) without any treatment were included in this study. In all patients, a whole body Tc(V)-DMSA scan was obtained init ial ly. Subsequently, comparative whole body Ga scan was performed 3-4 days apart. Results: Ga scan was positive in all lymphoma patients; however, no any lesion was detected by Tc(V)-DMSA scan. Conclusion: Tc(V)-DMSA scan is of no any clinical value for the detection of lymphoma, although it can detect some other malignant or inflammatory diseases when comparison with Ga.