title: Lacrimal gland uptake of (67)Ga-gallium citrate correlates with biopsy results in patients with suspected sarcoidosis.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  To investigate whether lacrimal gland uptake on (67)Ga-gallium citrate scintigraphy correlates with histopathologic evidence of sarcoidosis.
  
  
  METHODS
  A retrospective, pilot study of 31 patients with suspected sarcoidosis who underwent gallium scintigraphy and lacrimal gland biopsy. Lacrimal gland gallium uptake was assessed by subjective visual scoring (SVS) and lacrimal uptake ratio (LUR).
  
  
  RESULTS
  Eleven (36%) patients had lacrimal gland biopsies containing noncaseating granulomas. A statistically significant correlation was found between lacrimal gland gallium uptake and biopsy positivity using SVS (p = 0.03) or LUR (p = 0.01). Using SVS, biopsy positivity rate increased from 0 to 50% in patients with mild to intense uptake. Using LUR, biopsy positivity rate increased linearly as the ratio increased from 13% (LUR < 4) to 100% (LUR > 8).
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Lacrimal biopsy positivity rate significantly correlated with gallium uptake on scintigraphy. Both SVS and LUR methods appear to correlate with histologic results and may potentially aid in patient selection for biopsy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Ophthalmology, Mount Sinai School of Medicine , New York, New York , USA .
authors.forename: Bradford L
authors.initials: BL
authors.lastname: Tannen
authors.forename: Anton M
authors.initials: AM
authors.lastname: Kolomeyer
authors.forename: Roger E
authors.initials: RE
authors.lastname: Turbin
authors.forename: Larry
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Frohman
authors.forename: Paul D
authors.initials: PD
authors.lastname: Langer
authors.forename: Cheongeun
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Oh
authors.forename: Nasrin V
authors.initials: NV
authors.lastname: Ghesani
authors.forename: Lionel S
authors.initials: LS
authors.lastname: Zuckier
authors.forename: David S
authors.initials: DS
authors.lastname: Chu
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D001706:Biopsy; D002648:Child; D002951:Citrates; D005260:Female; D005708:Gallium; D005710:Gallium Radioisotopes; D006801:Humans; D007766:Lacrimal Apparatus Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010865:Pilot Projects; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012507:Sarcoidosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D055815:Young Adult
chemical_list: D002951:Citrates; D005710:Gallium Radioisotopes; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D005708:Gallium; C103850:gallium citrate