Gamma-camera scintigraphy in the tumors of the testicles

Gamma-camera scintigraphic investigations with 99Tc sodium pertechnetate are carried out in 17 patients with testicular tumors (10 seminomas and 7 teratocarcinomas). On the static scintigrams it is established an increase of the hemiscrotum and a significant diffuse increase in the activity of the testicle to such a degree that the normal contralateral testicle has not been depicted because of many times lower activity in it. In some of the cases, a cold zone has been found out in the region of palpatory established nodule (initial forms with unclusion of a part of the testicle) with a ring with increased activity around it which restricts it from the adjacent tissue. Gamma-camera scintigraphy contributes to the early diagnostics of the tumors. It helps significantly to their distinction from acute orchiepididymitis in which the treatment is conservative. 5 figs., 7 refs