How ominous is an abnormal scan in bronchogenic carcinoma?

Bone, brain, and liver radioisotope scans as prognostic indicators were studied in a series of 162 patients with primary bronchogenic carcinoma. One or more scans positive for metastasis reliably predicted death in less than six months. An abnormal bone scan was most significant (P less than .001). Reliability in predicting less than one year's survival in abnormal liver and brain scans was P less than .05 for both. Patients with two normal scans were found to have a 50% six-month survival expectation. Brain scans added little information, as they would have predicted a different prognosis for only three of 114 patients who received them.