Analysis of diffuse gallium lung uptake

Diffuse lung uptake of Ga-67 was observed on scintigrams in 56 patients. It was considered attributable to drugs in 21 patients. Only 7 patients complained of fever, cough, and dyspnea, 5 of whom spontaneously recovered without any treatment. This seemed to reflect clinically reversible cases, as well as to support the usefulness of Ga-67 scintigraphy in early detection of drug-induced pneumonitis. In one patient that died of acute pneumonitis, only a small amount of cyclophosphamide (3,400 mg) had been administered. Drug dosage seemed to be unrelated to the prognosis of drug-induced pneumonitis. Seventeen patients underwent Ga-67 scintigraphy within one month after the completion of chemotherapy. The most frequently given dosage of cyclophosphamide was 2,000 mg or less. In early detecting drug-induced pneumonitis, the optimum time of Ga-67 scintigraphy was considered to be the first one month after completion of chemotherapy. (Namekawa, K)