Sequential Thallium and Gallium Scanning in AIDS Patients with Pulmonary Lesions

Pulmonary lesions in AIDS patients pose a diagnostic problem. Sequential thallium (delayed at 3 hours) and gallium imaging can help differentiate between infection, lymphoma, and Kaposi sarcoma.

	Thallium	Gallium
Kaposi	+	-
Lymphoma	+	+
Infection	-	+

Thallium scans are obtained 3 hours after injection. Gallium scans are obtained 48-72 hours after injection.

References

Lee VW, Fuller JD, O'Brien MJ, Parker DR, Cooley TP, Liebman HA. Pulmonary Kaposi sarcoma in patients with AIDS: scintigraphic diagnosis with sequential thallium and gallium scanning. Radiology. 1991 Aug;180(2):409-12.