Journal of Yeungnam Medical Science

Case report

Thallium poisoning: a case report: Oscar Jimenez, Hector Cáceres, Luis Gimenez, Luciana Soto, Micaela Montenegro, Jhon Alexander Avila Rueda; J Yeungnam Med Sci. 2023;40(3):311-314. Published online December 15, 2022; DOI: https://doi.org/10.12701/jyms.2022.00647

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Thallium poisoning is usually accidental. We present a case of a 51-year-old woman who was evaluated in June 2018 for myalgia, vertigo, asthenia, and abdominal pain. Physical examination revealed temporal-spatial disorientation, jaundice, and asterixis. The laboratory reported the following: bilirubin, 10.3 mg/dL; aspartate transaminase, 78 U/L; alanine transaminase, 194 U/L; albumin, 2.3 g/dL; prothrombin time, 40%; and platelet count, 60,000/mm3. Serology performed for hepatitis A, B, and C; Epstein-Barr virus; cytomegalovirus; and human immunodeficiency virus was negative, and a collagenogram was negative. Physical reevaluation revealed alopecia on the scalp, armpits, and eyebrows; macules on the face; plantar hyperkeratosis; and ulcers on the lower limbs. Tests for lead, arsenic, copper, and mercury were carried out, which were normal; however, elevated urinary thallium (540 µg/g; range, 0.4–10 µg/g) was observed. The patient was treated with ᴅ-penicillamine 1,000 mg/day and recovered her urinary thallium levels were within normal range at annual follow-up. Thallium poisoning is extremely rare and can be fatal in small doses. An adequate clinical approach can facilitate early diagnosis.

Citations

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Thallium reabsorption via NKCC2 causes severe acute kidney injury with outer medulla-specific calcium crystal casts in rats
Kana Unuma, Shuheng Wen, Sho Sugahara, Shutaro Nagano, Toshihiko Aki, Tadayuki Ogawa, Shino Takeda-Homma, Masakazu Oikawa, Akihiro Tojo
Archives of Toxicology.2024; 98(12): 3973. CrossRef
Іmprovement of the differential diagnostics of acute oral and inhalation poisoning by thalium compounds, pathohistology and treatment strategy (based on group cases)
G.M. Balan, B.S. Sheyman, P.G. Zhminko, D.O. Dziuba, O.N. Rozhkova, N.V. Kurdil, A.H. Kudriavtseva, V.S. Lisovska, N.P. Chermnykh
Ukrainian Journal of Modern Toxicological Aspects.2023; 95(2): 66. CrossRef

Review

The Role of Thallium-201 Scintigraphy in Bone and Soft Tissue Tumor.: Duk Seop Shin; Yeungnam Univ J Med. 2003;20(2):117-128. Published online December 31, 2003; DOI: https://doi.org/10.12701/yujm.2003.20.2.117

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Abstract PDF: Thallium-201 scintigraphy is used to discriminate the malignant bone tumor from the benign by qualitatively and quantitatively, and to predict the response of preoperative chemotherapy in osteosarcoma, by comparing the changes of thallium uptake ratio after chemotherapy to the tumor necrosis ratio. Thallium-201 scintigraphy scan should be done prior to surgical biopsy. PICKER Prism 2000 gamma camera with high resolution parallel hole collimator is usually used for scanning. The patient is injected with 2-3mCi of Tl-201 and the early phase is checked in 30 minutes and delayed phase in 3 hours. The scan images are visually evaluated by a blinded nuclear medicine physician. We could evaluate true positive, true negative, false positive and false negative by the comparison of results with those of biopsy, and calculate positive and negative predictive value(%), sensitivity(%), specificity(%) and diagnostic accuracy(%). For the quantitative analysis of thallium uptake, we drew the region of interest on the tumor side and contralateral normal side as mirror image, and calculated the uptake ratio with dividing the amount of gamma count in tumor side by normal side. We could calculate the percent changes of thallium uptake ratio in early and delayed phase, and compare them to the ratio of tumor necrosis. Thallium-201 scintigraphy proved as useful imaging study to discriminate malignant bone tumor from benign, but had exception in giant cell tumor and low grade malignant bone tumors. We can use T1-201 scan to differentiate the benign from the malignant tumor, and to evaluate the response of preoperative chemotherapy or radiotherapy, and to determine the residual tumor or local recurrence. For the better result, we need to have a more detail information about false positive cases and a more objective and quantitative reading technique.

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