MATERIALS AND METhODS

Patients Consecutive patients referred for whole-body scans between March 1994 and April 1995 who exhibited symmetrical FDG uptake in the neck or paravertebral region were recalled within 6 wk of their initial scan for repeat imaging. Referring clinicians were advised that repeat scans were required to assess whether the uptake represented pathological lymph node involvement or nor mal muscle activity. The patients did not receive any treatment in the interval between scans. The indications for initial scanning in five patients restudied were to assess the effects of chemotherapy. Two patients were thought to be clinically free ofdisease (one with a synovial sarcoma treated with surgery and chemotherapy; one with symptomatic improvement after chemotherapy for an infiltra tive brachial plexopathy due to breast carcinoma). Three patients with Hodgkin's disease underwent rescanning because specific sites of clinical concern were thought to represent active disease (one with persistent induration in the right supraclavicular fossa; one with persistently enlarged axillary lymph nodes; one with a residual mediastinal mass on CT). Another patient with neurofi bromatosis underwent scanning at the routine follow-up visit after surgical excision of a midthoracic sarcoma 12 mo earlier.