[The combined radionuclide diagnosis of rectal cancer recurrences]

Of 153 patients with confirmed rectal cancer CEA was recorded in 139 (90.8%); erroneous results were noted in 14 (9.2%) patients; in scintigraphy with 67Ga-citrate and 111In-bleomycin diagnoses coincided in 147 (96.1%) patients, and false-negative results were noted in 6 (3.9%) patients. During the investigation 16 patients who had undergone radical operation with any signs of recurrence and 36 patients with suspected tumor recurrence, scintigraphic false-positive results were observed in 12.5 and 30.6% patients, and a false-positive increase in the CEA titer was observed in 12.5 and 11.1%. Of 11 patients with false-positive scintigraphic results a rise of the CEA level was noted in 2 cases making it possible to rule out with a great degree of assurance the presence of a recurrent tumor. The results obtained suggest the appropriateness of the combination of these methods to improve the diagnosis of rectal cancer recurrences.