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Updated: Aug 12, 2026

Analysis of 18FDG PET/CT Imaging as a Tool for Studying Mycobacterium tuberculosis Infection and Treatment in Non-human Primates
Published on: September 5, 2017
Gallium scanning in the 'new' tuberculosis
C R Goldfarb1, C Colp, F Ongseng
1Adult Primary Care Center, Beth Israel Medical Center, New York, New York 10003, USA.
Purpose:
To evaluate the findings and usefulness of Ga-67 scanning in recent cases of tuberculosis (TB).
Materials And Methods:
The authors reviewed chest x-ray films and Ga-67 citrate scans of 52 patients with culture-confirmed infection caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis treated after 1988.
Results:
Ga-67 scans were positive in every case, delineating upper lobe lung lesions in 6 patients, diffuse involvement or lower lobe disease in 34 patients, and intrathoracic adenopathy in 15 patients. Pulmonary parenchymal lesions were not detected on x-ray films in 3 patients, and nodal lesions were not apparent in 3 patients. In addition, in 6 patients cervical adenopathy was detected by Ga-67 scintigraphy; 4 underwent biopsy with culture confirmation.
Conclusions:
Ga-67 scanning is more sensitive than routine chest radiography for detection of both TB parenchymal lung involvement and adenopathy. Ga-67 imaging facilitates the choice of biopsy sites by identifying accessible peripheral nodes. Typical patterns in recent cases of TB differ significantly from the upper lobe predilection of classical TB.
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