Gallium-67 citrate uptake in experimental tumors and inflammatory lesions--an histo-autoradiographic correlation

In a DAB-hepatoma organic tumor, Ga-67 accumulated markedly in the hepatocellular carcinoma with scant stroma but not in the cholangioma that was rich in connective tissue. No granulation tissue was formed around the tumor. In transplanted tumors (Ehrlich's tumor and Sarcoma 180), Ga-67 accumulated in the granulation tissue within the fibroblasts, leukocytes and capillaries surrounding the tumor, rather than in the tumor. In inflammatory lesions, Ga-67 uptake was similar in granulation tissue with large numbers of phagocytes, such as leukocytes and histiocytes, and capillaries. There was a very good correlation between the degree of Ga-67 uptake and of cellular infiltration and the proliferation of capillaries. Ga-67 uptake, both in inflammatory lesions and in transplanted tumors, was observed in the granulation tissue. This result implies that the mechanisms of Ga-67 uptake in tumor and inflammatory tissues are not the same, because Ga-67 accumulated in the DAB-hepatoma that had no inflammatory granulation tissue. This study indicates that a non-transplanted tumor is required to study Ga-67 accumulation in tumors, as different results may occur in tumors with and without inflammatory granulation tissue.