Objectives: The purpose of this report was to evaluate the relationship between the tumour retention index of thallium-201 chloride (Tl-201) scintigraphy and the Na+/K+-ATPase expression in tumours of the head and neck.
Methods: Tl-201 scintigraphy was performed in 146 patients (129 with malignant tumours, ten with benign tumours and seven with inflammation). The tumour retention index was obtained from the early and delayed dynamic Tl-201 scans. The Na+/K+-ATPase expression was evaluated immunohistochemically in 61 of 129 patients with malignant tumour. Furthermore, another 22 patients with benign tumour were evaluated immunohistochemically as a benign control. Comparison of the correlations between the grade of histopathological differentiation of tumour, the tumour retention index of Tl-201 scintigraphy and the Na+/K+-ATPase expression was performed.
Results: The grade of histopathological differentiation of tumour, the tumour retention index of Tl-201 scintigraphy and the expression of Na+/K+-ATPase showed a good correlation indicating that Na+/K+-ATPase plays an important role in transportation for Tl-201 to go through the tumour cell membrane.
Conclusions: Na+/K+-ATPase is one of the most important factors for Tl-201 accumulation in tumour.