Gallium scanning in differentiating malignant from benign asbestos–related pleural disease

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Abstract
In order to assess the utility of 67gallium citrate in delineating malignant pleural mesothelioma from benign asbestos–related pleural disease, 49 patients with malignant mesothelioma and 16 with benign asbestos–related pleural disease were studied. Seven patients with malignant mesothelioma had no history of asbestos exposure, while the remaining 58 patients were exposed. Forty–three of the 49 patients (88%) with malignant mesothelioma had a positive67 gallium scan including 36 of the 42 (86%) patients with asbestos exposure and all 7 patients without a history of asbestos exposure. Three of 16 patients (19%) with benign asbestos–related pleural disease had a positive scan. 67Gallium radionuclide imaging is nonspecific but may be valuable in noninvasive monitoring of asbestos–exposed populations, which have a high risk for the late development of benign and/or malignant pleural disease.

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