75Se-Selenite scrintigraphy in the clinical staging of malignant lymphomas

The value of 75Se-selenite scintigraphy in clinical staging was investigated in 45 patients with Hodgkin's disease and in 28 patients with non-Hodgkin's lymphoma. Of these, 9 patients had recurrence of previously treated lymphomas. The scintigraphic results were compared with clinical, cytologic, histologic and radiographic findings in different anatomic regions. 75Se-selenite scintigraphy resulted in 6 to 20 per cent false negative findings, 15 to 43 per cent false positive and 12 to 20 per cent equivocal evaluations, the accuracy being least in the abdominal region. The relatively high rediation dose delivered by 75Se-selenite, furthermore, makes it less attractive for use in the primary diagnosis of malignant lymphomas.