A clinical comparison between 111In labeled leukocyte and 67Ga scintigraphy in acute and chronic inflammatory diseases

111In labeled leukocyte scintigraphy (ILLS) and 67Ga scintigraphy (67Ga) were carried out in 56 patients (59 studies) with clinical suspicion of acute or chronic inflammation. The diagnosis of inflammation was based on cultures, autopsy findings, radiographic studies, and clinical course. The overall sensitivity and specificity to infectious foci for ILLS, considering all 80 sites studied, were 60.5%, 78.6%, and those for 67Ga were 94.7%, 47.6%. As to suppurative foci, sensitivity of ILLS and 67Ga were 95.5% and 90.9%. The duration from the onset of clinical symptoms to examination in patients with positive ILLS were significantly (p less than 0.005) shorter than in patients with negative ILLS. Also the C-reactive protein levels in patients with positive ILLS were significantly (p less than 0.05) higher than in patients with negative ILLS. Different accumulation patterns between ILLS and 67Ga were shown in 17 foci out of 21 lesions. ILLS tended to accumulate to the center of lesions strongly. On the other hand, 67Ga tended to concentrate peripherally like doughnut pattern.