Thallium-201 single photon emission computed tomography as an indicator of prognosis for patients with lung carcinoma.
BACKGROUND
The uptake of thallium-201 (T1-201) in malignant tumors is associated with malignant potential (metastatic potential and proliferative activity). The grade of accumulation of T1-201 in malignant tumors may provide information regarding prognosis.


METHODS
A T1-201 single photon emission computed tomography was conducted 120 minutes after intravenous injection of 111 megabecquerel of T1-201 chloride. The authors calculated the uptake ratio to evaluate the degree of T1-201 uptake in the primary tumor. This ratio was compared with survival time and other prognostic factors.


RESULTS
The authors studied 152 patients (125 men and 27 women). The group of patients with the low T1-201 uptake ratio survived longer than the group of patients with the high T1-201 uptake ratio (median survival, 58 weeks vs. 33 weeks; P = 0.0138 by the log rank test). The multivariate analysis confirmed that the T1-201 uptake ratio was an independent prognostic factor for survival.


CONCLUSIONS
These results suggest that the T1-201 uptake ratio provides independent and objective prognostic information for patients with lung carcinoma.
Takekawa
H
H
Department of Respiratory Medicine, Nikko Memorial Hospital, Shintomi-cho, Muroran, Japan.
Takaoka
K
K
Tsukamoto
E
E
Kanegae
K
K
Miller
F
F
Kawakami
Y
Y
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008175:Lung Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000401:mortality*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015999:Multivariate Analysis; D011379:Prognosis; D015996:Survival Rate; D013794:Thallium Radioisotopes; D015899:Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon
D013794:Thallium Radioisotopes