Incidental Breast Uptake of Thallium-201 on Myocardial Scintigraphy in a Lactating Woman: Case Report

Received 3/19/2002; revised 6/6/2002; accepted 8/20/2002. For correspondence or reprints contact: Ching-Yuan Chen, M.D., Department of Nuclear Medicine, Tri-Service General Hospital, 325 Section 2, Cheng-Kung Road, Taipei 114, Taiwan, R.O.C. Tel: (886) 2-87927121, Fax: (886) 2-87927217, E-mail: yuan [email protected] It was not common that a lactating woman with bilateral breast uptake of Tl-thallous chloride (Tl) on myocardial scintigraphy. We reported such a case. The 38year-old woman with a one-year-old lactating infant suffered from intermittent chest distress for several months. Electrocardiogram showed intermittent ventricular tachycardia. Tl myocardial perfusion scintigraphy was performed and revealed normal perfusion to all segments on stress and rest images. However, there was bilateral breast uptake of Tl on delayed 4-h images. Carefully clinical examinations and follow-up studies showed no evidence of breast disease. The enhanced Tl uptake of breast was related to lactation and might be due to diffusion of Tl into the extravascular space.