Diagnostic imaging prior to 90Y-ibritumomab tiuxetan (Zevalin) treatment in follicular non-Hodgkin's lymphoma.

Add-on treatment of follicular non-Hodgkin's lymphoma (NHL) with yttrium-90 labelled ((90)Y) ibritumomab tiuxetan (Zevalin) has become an efficacious asset in standard treatment concepts of this disease. First-line treatment with Zevalin is currently under way. Whereas in the U.S. and Switzerland a prediagnostic imaging with (111)In-ibritumomab tiuxetan is mandatory, in Europe there is no such prerequisite. It is shown in this article why a prediagnostic imaging or dosimetry is not necessary as an additional mandatory safety measure to confirm the expected biodistribution.