[Malignant pleural mesothelioma. Value of 67Ga scintigraphy compared to computerized tomography]

In 34 patients with suspected malignant pleural mesothelioma the results of computed tomography are compared with the findings of 67Ga-scintigraphy. The differential diagnosis of 14 pleural mesotheliomas, 7 pleural carcinoses, 10 inflammatory and 3 other pleural diseases is performed more accurately by CT than by scintigraphy. 67Ga uptake depends on the thickness of inflammatory as well as malignant lesions. Thus, numerous pleural processes that can be localised by CT escape scintigraphic detection. CT is indicated if there is clinical and radiological suspicion of pleural mesothelioma; in that case, there is hardly any indication for 67Ga scintigraphy.