Over-All Accuracy of ^99mTc-Pertechnetate Brain Scanning for Brain Tumours – Study of 471 Patients

A 3-year follow-up and re-evaluation of all scans on all patients referred for brain scanning in Iceland during 1 year was performed in order to assess the diagnostic reliability of radioisotope scanning for brain tumours. The study included 471 patients. Of these 25 had primary brain tumours and 7 brain metastases. Scans were positive and correctly interpreted in68 % of the patients with primary brain tumours and in 3 of the 7 patients with metastases. The over-all accuracy of brain scanning for brain tumours defined as the total number of correct positive scans and correct negative scans versus total number of scans examined was 96%, this figure being mainly influenced by the high number of true negative scans.

Zur Ermittlung der diagnostischen Zuverlässigkeit der Radionuklidszintigraphie für Hirntumoren wurden im Verlauf von 3 Jahren Nachfolgeuntersuchungen und Neuauswertungen aller Szintigramme von sämtlichen Patienten eines Jahres auf Island durchgeführt, an denen eine Hirnszintigraphie vorgenommen worden war. Die Untersuchung umfaßte 471 Patienten. Davon hatten 25 Patienten primäre Hirntumoren und 7 Patienten Hirnmetastasen. In 68% der Fälle mit primären Hirntumoren und in 3 Patienten mit Metastasen wurden die Szintigramme positiv und richtig interpretiert. Die Gesamtgenauigkeit der Hirnszintigraphie für Hirntumoren, ausgedrückt als Prozentsatz richtig interpretierter positiver und negativer Szintigramme an der Gesamtzahl der untersuchten Fälle, war 96%. Dieser Wert resultiert vor allem aus der großen Zahl richtig interpretierter negativer Szintigramme.

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