Gallium scintigraphy in Hansen's disease.
Gallium 67 imaging was used in 12 patients with documented Hansen's disease undergoing treatment or not, in an attempt to determine the pattern of the disease. Diagnosis was confirmed by histopathology in all patients. The Mitsuda reaction was seen in all patients. Specific nuclear studies were performed when needed to evaluate particular organs better. Gallium 67 images show homogeneous, diffuse and moderate accumulation over the entire skin surface (except for the face) of untreated patients with multibacillary disease. The facial skin in these cases presented homogeneous, diffuse but very marked uptake of gallium. Internal organ involvement was variable. There was a very good correlation among clinical, scintigraphic, immunological and histopathological data. The pattern of the body skin ("skin outlining") and facial skin ("beard distribution") may be distinct for untreated patients with multibacillary leprosy.
Braga
F J
FJ
Service de Biophysique de Médecine Nucleaire, Hôpital Henri Mondor, Paris, France.
Araújo
E B
EB
Camargo
E E
EE
Tedesco-Marchesi
L C
LC
Rivitti
M C
MC
Bouladour
H
H
Galle
P
P
D000328:Adult; D001842:Bone and Bones / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D005260:Female; D005710:Gallium Radioisotopes; D006801:Humans; D007918:Leprosy / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008099:Liver / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008168:Lung / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008297:Male; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging; D012867:Skin / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D013154:Spleen / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D013669:Technetium Tc 99m Medronate; D013671:Technetium Tc 99m Sulfur Colloid
D005710:Gallium Radioisotopes; D013671:Technetium Tc 99m Sulfur Colloid; D013669:Technetium Tc 99m Medronate