title: Gallium scanning in the 'new' tuberculosis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To evaluate the findings and usefulness of Ga-67 scanning in recent cases of tuberculosis (TB).
  
  
  METHODS
  The authors reviewed chest x-ray films and Ga-67 citrate scans of 52 patients with culture-confirmed infection caused by Mycobacterium tuberculosis treated after 1988.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Ga-67 scans were positive in every case, delineating upper lobe lung lesions in 6 patients, diffuse involvement or lower lobe disease in 34 patients, and intrathoracic adenopathy in 15 patients. Pulmonary parenchymal lesions were not detected on x-ray films in 3 patients, and nodal lesions were not apparent in 3 patients. In addition, in 6 patients cervical adenopathy was detected by Ga-67 scintigraphy; 4 underwent biopsy with culture confirmation.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Ga-67 scanning is more sensitive than routine chest radiography for detection of both TB parenchymal lung involvement and adenopathy. Ga-67 imaging facilitates the choice of biopsy sites by identifying accessible peripheral nodes. Typical patterns in recent cases of TB differ significantly from the upper lobe predilection of classical TB.
authors.affiliation: Adult Primary Care Center, Beth Israel Medical Center, New York, New York 10003, USA.
authors.forename: C R
authors.initials: CR
authors.lastname: Goldfarb
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Colp
authors.forename: F
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Ongseng
authors.forename: H
authors.initials: H
authors.lastname: Finestone
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Havas
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002951:Citrates; D005260:Female; D005708:Gallium; D005710:Gallium Radioisotopes; D006801:Humans; D008168:Lung / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011859:Radiography; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D014397:Tuberculosis, Pulmonary / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*
chemical_list: D002951:Citrates; D005710:Gallium Radioisotopes; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D005708:Gallium; C103850:gallium citrate