Nuclear medicine studies of aging—V. Uptake of 67Ga and 111In in the femoral vessels

Fifty-nine males who had gallium-67-citrate or indium-111-oxine WBC scintigraphy (Ga/In) had the images reviewed to determine if increased activity was present in the femoral vessels and, if so, whether this was age related. The 59 subjects showed an age-associated increasing bilateral uptake (13% of 15 patients younger than 40 years, to 71% of the 7 who were older than 69 years). The combined unilateral and bilateral femoral uptake rose from 27% in those under age 40, to 86% in those over age 69. The group of 59 males included 30 (51%) who had bone scintigraphy with 99m Tc-MDP within 3 months of the Ga/In examination. These men showed the expected increase in femoral vessel 99m Tc-MDP uptake with age. Femoral vessel activity was more commonly observed with 99m Tc-MDP than with Ga/In. Thus both Ga/In and 99m Tc-MDP accumulate more frequently in the femoral vessels with advancing age. Ga/In displays this age-related phenomenon to a lesser extent than 99m Tc-MDP.