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Gallium-67 citrate scan in extrapulmonary tuberculosis.
1Department of Nuclear Medicine, Taichung Veterans General Hospital, Taiwan. wylin@vghtc.vghtc.gov.tw
Nuklearmedizin. Nuclear Medicine
|October 8, 1999
Summary
Whole-body gallium scans effectively detect extrapulmonary tuberculosis (TB) lesions, showing 78% sensitivity. This imaging is useful for diagnosing TB outside the lungs, excluding TB meningitis.
Area of Science:
- Infectious Diseases
- Radiology
- Nuclear Medicine
Background:
- Extrapulmonary tuberculosis (TB) presents diagnostic challenges.
- Accurate detection of extrapulmonary TB lesions is crucial for effective treatment.
Purpose of the Study:
- To evaluate the utility of whole-body gallium scans in identifying extrapulmonary TB.
- To determine the sensitivity of gallium scans for various extrapulmonary TB manifestations.
Main Methods:
- Whole-body gallium scans were performed on 37 patients diagnosed with extrapulmonary TB.
- A total of 41 lesions were identified across various sites, including arthritis, spinal TB, and lymphadenopathy.
Main Results:
- Gallium scans detected 32 out of 41 extrapulmonary TB lesions, yielding a sensitivity of 78%.
- Sensitivity increased to 88.9% when cases of TB meningitis (which showed negative scans) were excluded.
- The imaging modality proved particularly useful for non-meningeal TB sites.
Conclusions:
- Whole-body gallium scan is a valuable tool for diagnosing extrapulmonary TB, excluding TB meningitis.
- The study recommends incorporating gallium scans into the routine diagnostic workup for suspected extrapulmonary TB.