Nuclear medicine techniques in the evaluation of pulmonary neoplasia

Many noninvasive imaging techniques are available for evaluating patients with pulmonary neoplastic processes. Computed tomography, magnetic resonance imaging, and gallium scintigraphy, while having made major contributions to the noninvasive workup of patients with pulmonary neoplastic processes, are inadequate for purposes of accurate pathologic staging. A more complete understanding of the potential for existing techniques utilizing gallium 67 and thallium 201 along with the development of new radiopharmaceuticals coupled with recent advances in detection equipment will further expand the role of nuclear medicine in the noninvasive assessment of pulmonary neoplasias.