Modification of distribution of gallium 67 in man by administration of iron

Abstract

In mice bearing tumors, the clearance of 67Ga from blood and the attainment of high tumor-to-normal soft tissue concentration ratios are accelerated if the serum unsaturated Fe binding capacity (UIBC) is low. A preliminary clinical trial is described concerning the administration of Fe as a means of creating favorable imaging distributions within 6 h of injection of 67Ga [for the scintiscan diagnosis of malignant lymphoma]. Fe was given i.m. at a dosage in the range 50-100 mg, depending on the patient''s UIBC, and generally about 3 h post-67Ga. In 14 patients receiving Fe, consistent and substantial reductions in 67Ga plasma concentrations and in UIBC were demonstrated. In 7 of these, the 6 h 67Ga images revealed lesions at contrasts which were nearly equivalent to their contrasts in later (48 h) pictures; there were an additional 2 cases where the lesion was not detected until 48 h. The 6 h results were relatively free of the bowel appearances which sometimes confuse later studies; examinations generally benefited from the advance information gained at 6 h.