Utility fo gallium-67 in determining the radicality of lymph node dissections of the neck for metastatic lymph nodes with extranodal spread in patients affected by carcinoma of the head and neck.
OBJECTIVE
Based on the fact that scintigraphy more readily reveals uptake of a radioisotope in a superficial position owing to incomplete surgical radicality, the authors examined by 67Ga scintigraphy a group of patients who had undergone dissection of lymph nodes of the neck from carcinoma with extranodal spread. They then checked the follow-up to ascertain the efficacy of 67Ga scintigraphy in relation to the eventual recurrences in the soft tissues of the neck.


METHODS
A group of 136 patients were examined by 67Ga scintigraphy and followed for a minimum of 3 years after complementary radiotherapy. A group of 20 patients with no lymph node metastases was used as control to evaluate eventual false positives or false negatives.


RESULTS
Recurrences in the soft tissues of the neck occurred in 35 (42.7%) of the 82 patients positive at 67Ga scintigraphy and in 6 (11.1%) of the 54 patients negative at the examination (P = 0.0001). All the patients in the control group were negative at 67Ga scintigraphy and without recurrences.


CONCLUSIONS
67Ga scintigraphy can give reliable information on the risk of recurrences in the soft tissues of the neck. Since in spite of postoperative radiotherapy the percentage of local recurrences in cases with positive 67Ga scintigraphy was rather high (42.7%), the authors propose a scheme of radiotherapy based on administration of a higher dose per fraction on the scintigraphically positive area.
Ricci
S B
SB
Department of Radiotherapy, Istituto Nazionale per lo Studio e la Cura dei Tumori, Milan, Italy.
Chiti
A
A
Molinari
R
R
Borsa
G
G
Ricci
P B
PB
Villa
S
S
D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D005710:Gallium Radioisotopes; D006258:Head and Neck Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology* / Q000532:radiotherapy / Q000601:surgery; D006801:Humans; D008197:Lymph Node Excision; D008207:Lymphatic Metastasis; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009364:Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / Q000517:prevention & control; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging; D011879:Radiotherapy Dosage; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012306:Risk
D005710:Gallium Radioisotopes