[Thermo- and scintigraphy with 67Ga citrate in the diagnosis of oro- and parapharyngeal tumors].

The authors analyzed the results of thermographic and scintigraphic (using 67Ga-citrate produced in the USSR) investigations in 41 patients: 10 with tumors of the oral cavity, 12 with oropharyngeal tumors, and 19 with parapharyngeal tumors. Of the latter 10 had morphologically verified benign tumors, 5--mixed type tumors, and 4--malignant tumors (sarcoma in 2 patients, a thyroid cancer metastasis to the parapharyngeal lymph nodes in 1, malignant chemodectoma in 1). Thermography and scintigraphy positive results (the absence of hyperthermia and RP hyperfixation in a tumor) were obtained in 7 of 10 patients with benign parapharyngeal tumors. Thermography false-positive results were obtained in 3 patients, however 67Ga-citrate accumulation was undetectable in these patients' tumors making the diagnosis more accurate. Thermography and scintigraphy results were positive in all 22 patients with malignant oropharyngeal (the oral cavity and oropharynx) tumors. Thermography and scintigraphy positive results were also noted in all 5 patients with parapharyngeal mixed tumors which could be associated with raised tumor tissue biological activity. The data obtained suggested a possibility of the use of thermography and scintigraphy in the diagnosis of oro-and parapharyngeal tumors.