Gallium-67 citrate imaging in underground coal miners.
Twenty-two underground coal workers with 27 or more years of coal dust exposure were studied with gallium-67 citrate (Ga-67) imaging. Radiographic evidence of coal workers pneumoconiosis (CWP) was present in 12 subjects. The Ga-67 scan was abnormal in 11 of 12 with, and 9 of 10 without, CWP. The Ga-67 uptake index was significantly correlated with total dust exposure (p less than 0.01) and approached significant correlation with the radiographic profusion of the nodules (0.10 greater than p greater than 0.05). There was no correlation between Ga-67 uptake and spirometric function, which was normal in this group of patients; furthermore, increased lung uptake of gallium did not indicate a poor prognosis in subjects no longer exposed to coal dust. While coal dust exposure may be associated with positive Ga-67 lung scan in coal miners with many years of coal dust exposure, the scan provided no information not already available from a careful exposure history and a chest radiograph. Since Ga-67 scanning is a relatively expensive procedure we would recommend that its use in subjects with asymptomatic CWP be limited to an investigative role and not be made part of a routine evaluation.
D000368:Aged; D001991:Bronchitis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D003032:Coal Mining; D005541:Forced Expiratory Volume; D005710:Gallium Radioisotopes; D006801:Humans; D008875:Middle Aged; D011009:Pneumoconiosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging; D012907:Smoking; D014797:Vital Capacity
D005710:Gallium Radioisotopes