SUPERIOR VENA CAVAL SYNDROME: SCINTIPHOTOGRAPHIC EVALUATION OF RESPONSE TO RADIATION THERAPY

¹ Staff Physician, Nuclear Medicine Service, Veterans Administration Hospital (Wadsworth), Los Angeles; and Assistant Professor of Medicine, UCLA School of Medicine, Los Angeles.
² Chief, Nuclear Medicine Service, Veterans Administration Hospital (Wadsworth), Los Angeles; and Professor of Medicine, UCLA School of Medicine, Los Angeles.
³ Assistant Chief, Nuclear Medicine Service, Veterans Administration Hospital (Wadsworth), Los Angeles.

Obstruction of the superior vena cava and its tributaries and the response to radiation therapy were studied in 21 patients using the Anger scintillation camera after injecting 10 mc Tc^99m pertechnetate bilaterally and simultaneously in both arms. Partial and complete venous obstructions were demonstrated, and in a few cases a correlation was obtained with contrast material vena cavography.

The scintillation camera technique is simple, safe, and nontraumatic, and can be repeated frequently. The study can be performed even in cases where there is complete venous obstruction. Bilateral, simultaneous injection of Tc^99m saves study time and Polaroid film. Bilateral information is obtained in 1 scintiphoto.

It is suggested that the scintillation camera technique be used as the procedure of choice in cases of superior vena caval syndrome due to suspected partial or complete obstruction of the superior vena cava and its tributaries. This technique is useful in pre- and postirradiation evaluation of the superior vena caval syndrome.

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