Assessment of residual tumor viability in thymic carcinoma by sequential thallium-201 SPECT: comparison with CT and biopsy findings.
We present a case of 201TI accumulating thymic carcinoma, in which sequential CT scans demonstrated a steady decrease in tumor volume. The presence of a residual mass on CT scans after the completion of therapy presented the clinical dilemma of whether or not a viable tumor remained. Sequential 201TI SPECT images demonstrated a marked decrease in tumor uptake. At 2 wk after therapy, no significant accumulation of 201TI in the region of the residual mass was observed, indicating a lack of viable tumor. A biopsy specimen revealed no tumor cells. Sequential histopathologic findings were correlated well with the findings of 201TI SPECT rather than those of CT. Thallium-201 SPECT is of great clinical value in assessing tumor viability in the course of therapy.
Seto
H
H
Department of Radiology, Toyama Medical and Pharmaceutical University, Japan.
Kageyama
M
M
Shimizu
M
M
Wu
Y W
YW
Kamei
T
T
Kakishita
M
M
D000368:Aged; D001706:Biopsy; D003131:Combined Modality Therapy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D018365:Neoplasm, Residual; D013794:Thallium Radioisotopes; D013945:Thymoma / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000628:therapy; D013950:Thymus Gland / Q000473:pathology; D013953:Thymus Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000628:therapy; D015899:Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon / Q000379:methods*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
D013794:Thallium Radioisotopes