Thymic gallium-67 localization in pediatric patients on chemotherapy: concise communication.
Localization of Ga-67 in the thymus has been reported to occur in children. In our control group of 87 patients, 15% of children under 5 yr and 11% of children over 5 yr demonstrated thymic localization. In contrast, in our study group of seven children with acute lymphocytic leukemia or malignant lymphoma, lymphocytic diffuse, treated on a modified non-Hodgkin's lymphoma protocol, Sloan-Kettering LSA2-L2, thymic localization occurred during treatment in five of the seven. We conclude that increased thymic gallium localization in children under chemotherapy for a known malignancy may reflect increased activity of thymic medullary epithelial cells and regeneration of thymic lymphocytes during recovery form involution induced by certain chemotherapeutic agents.
D000293:Adolescent; D000970:Antineoplastic Agents / Q000008:administration & dosage*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D004359:Drug Therapy, Combination; D005260:Female; D005710:Gallium Radioisotopes; D006801:Humans; D007945:Leukemia, Lymphoid / Q000188:drug therapy; D008228:Lymphoma, Non-Hodgkin / Q000188:drug therapy; D008297:Male; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging; D013601:T-Lymphocytes; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000187:drug effects; D013952:Thymus Hyperplasia / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D013953:Thymus Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000556:secondary
D000970:Antineoplastic Agents; D005710:Gallium Radioisotopes