Kaohsiung Journal of Medical Sciences
Volume 24, Issue 6 , Pages 328-333, June 2008

Value of Gallium-67 Scanning in Monitoring Therapeutic Effectiveness in a Patient with Relapsing Polychondritis

  • Ming-Che Chang
    • ,
  • Shih-Chuan Tsai
    • ,
  • Wan-Yu Lin

      Affiliations

    • Corresponding Author InformationAddress correspondence and reprint requests to: Dr Wan-Yu Lin, Department of Nuclear Medicine, Taichung Veterans General Hospital, 160, Taichung Harbor Road, Section 3, Taichung 407, Taiwan

Department of Nuclear Medicine, Taichung Veterans General Hospital, Taichung, Taiwan

Received 20 August 2007; accepted 23 October 2007.

Article Outline

We present a 57-year-old man who had low-grade fever and painful, swollen and erythematous ears. Gallium-67 citrate scintigraphy (gallium scan) performed prior to the commencement of treatment showed increased gallium uptake in bilateral external ears, neck, mediastinum and bilateral pulmonary hili. The results of ultrasonography of both ears were compatible with the diagnosis of chondritis. The patient's clinical condition and laboratory data improved after a course of nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs and steroids. Gallium scan performed after treatment showed a diminished uptake in the external ears, neck, and mediastinum. Gallium scintigraphy is a valuable tool for evaluating inflammatory activity and monitoring therapeutic response in patients with relapsing polychondritis.

Key Words:  gallium-67 citrate , polychondritis , therapeutic response

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PII: S1607-551X(08)70161-X

doi:10.1016/S1607-551X(08)70161-X

Kaohsiung Journal of Medical Sciences
Volume 24, Issue 6 , Pages 328-333, June 2008

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