Differential uptake of TI-201 by small-cell lung cancer in a patient with pneumoconiosis-related pulmonary nodules

Clin Nucl Med. 1999 Sep;24(9):687-90. doi: 10.1097/00003072-199909000-00010.

Abstract

A 68-year-old man with pneumoconiosis was thought to have small-cell lung cancer based on the results of a biopsy of a bone tumor. Three pulmonary nodules were observed on a chest radiograph. Compared with a chest radiograph taken 4 months earlier, one of the nodules had grown. It was difficult to differentiate this nodule from pneumoconiosis-related benign pulmonary nodules from the appearance on the chest radiograph and CT. Ga-67 scintigraphy and TI-201 lung SPECT were performed to characterize these nodules. TI-201 SPECT showed differential high uptake in the enlarged nodule, whereas Ga-67 scintigraphy showed equally intense uptake in all these nodules. Transbronchial biopsy of the nodule that showed high TI-201 uptake revealed cancer cell nests against a background of interstitial fibrosis. The pathologic diagnosis was small-cell lung cancer that had developed in lung scar tissue. This case suggests the utility of TI-201 in scintigraphic assessments of pneumoconiosis-related pulmonary nodules when lung cancer is suspected.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Bone Neoplasms / secondary
  • Carcinoma, Small Cell / diagnostic imaging*
  • Carcinoma, Small Cell / etiology
  • Carcinoma, Small Cell / pathology
  • Diagnosis, Differential
  • Gallium Radioisotopes
  • Humans
  • Lung Diseases, Interstitial / diagnostic imaging
  • Lung Neoplasms / diagnostic imaging*
  • Lung Neoplasms / etiology
  • Lung Neoplasms / pathology
  • Male
  • Pneumoconiosis / complications
  • Pneumoconiosis / diagnostic imaging*
  • Thallium Radioisotopes*
  • Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon*
  • Tomography, X-Ray Computed

Substances

  • Gallium Radioisotopes
  • Thallium Radioisotopes