Gallium-67 scintigraphy in lymphoma with bone involvement

Both Hodgkin's and non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) may involve bone. Traditionally, ^99mTc-MDP bone scintigraphy has been used to detect such involvement. In recent years, ⁶⁷Ga scintigraphy has shown to be useful in monitoring treatment response in lymphoma. Although ^99mTc-MDP has not been found particularly useful for monitoring bone response to cancer treatment, we were interested in whether ⁶⁷Ga scintigraphy and SPECT could be used to monitor bone involvement with lymphoma. Methods: Gallium-67 and ^99mTc-MDP uptake were investigated in 20 patients with lymphoma involving the bone before treatment. Gallium-67 scans were done in 16 patients for monitoring response to treatment in the bone lesions. Results: Gallium-67 studies diagnosed bone lesions in 19 of the 20 patients. Technetium-99m-MOP detected bone lesions in all patients investigated. In four patients, uptake by Ga-67 was more intense than ^99mTc-MDP and in another four patients ^99mTc-MDP uptake was more evident. Gallium-67, however, was useful in detecting other regions of involvement in 18 of the 19 patients with soft-tissue lymphoma lesions. Gallium-67 scintigraphy also correctly monitored bone response to treatment in all but one of the 16 patients who had ⁶⁷Ga scintigraphy after completing therapy. Conclusion: Gallium-67 uptake by lymphoma involving the bone can be used to monitor osseous response to treatment.