Gallium-67 citrate localization in carriers of Duchenne muscular dystrophy.

Abstract

The localization of gallium-67 citrate in 2 patients with Duchenne muscular dystrophy (DMD), 17 carriers and 8 control females has been examined, in order to determine the usefulness of gallium scanning in carrier identification. Gallium-67 citrate was injected intravenously, and medial or lateral analogue images of the calf muscles were taken 48 h later. The results were expressed as ST B (soft tissue to bone) ratios. Though the ranges in carriers and controls overlapped, the difference between the two groups was statistically significant. When gallium uptake was compared with a discriminant score based on four serum tests for carrier status, one carrier who could not be identified biochemically had a ST B ratio exceeding the normal mean plus two standard deviations, and two other carriers who could not be identified biochemically had ST B ratios above the normal mean. We conclude that gallium-67 scanning may assist in improvement of detection of DMD carriers.