[67Ga-citrate in the diagnosis of lung diseases]

Altogether 214 patients with different pulmonary diseases were examined using 67Ga-citrate scintigraphy. A high sensitivity of the method (94%) in the diagnosis of primary lung cancer and its high specificity (81.8%) in differential diagnosis of lung cancer and chronic non-specific lung diseases were established. The use of "positive" lung scintigraphy with 67Ga-citrate for diagnosis of metastatic pulmonary lesions as a result of a low sensitivity of the method in this pathology was found inappropriate. Differential diagnosis of lung cancer and acute inflammatory process by two investigations with 67Ga-citrate before and after a course of antibacterial and antiinflammatory therapy turned out possible; the preservation of a focus of raised accumulation of tumoritropic RP was typical of lung cancer whereas the disappearance of a focus or a decrease in the level of RP accumulation was typical of an acute inflammatory process.