Clinical evaluation of gallium 67 citrate scanning in noninflammatory and nonmalignant pelvic conditions.

Abstract

Gallium 67 citrate scanning has recently been introduced in the detection and localization of malignant and inflammatory pelvic processes. A total of 26 obstetrical and gynecological patients with proven benign and noninflammatory pelvic processes were injected with gallium 67 citrate and scanned. All the patients showed normal studies. Our results indicate that benign and noninfectious pelvic conditions do not show an increased uptake of gallium 67 citrate. It is concluded that the presence of a positive scan during the postpartum or postoperative period strongly suggests the possibility of infection. Benign pelvic tumors did not show an increased accumulation of the gallium 67 citrate. As a consequence an increased uptake by a pelvic mass strongly suggests the possibility of malignancy. An important observation from a clinical point of view was the absence of gallium uptake at the site of noninfected surgical incisions in the postoperative period.