Fast Diagnosis of Abdominal Infections and Inflammations with Technetium-99m-HMPAO Labeled Leukocytes

images (2 mm,0.5 hr, 2 hr and4 hr)was studiedin 87 prospectively performedinvestigations in 80 patientswith a suspicionof abdominalinflammation or infection.Sensitivity,specificity andaccuracywere74%,85%and77%in the 2-mmscans, 88%, 81% and 86% in the 0.5-hr scans,95%, 85% and 92% in the 2-hr scans, and 96%, 92% and 95% in the 4-hr scans. Nonspecific bowelaccumulation wasseenin 7%of patients at2hrandin28% at4hrbutwaseasily distinguishable from pathologic activity.Theuptakein eatlyimagesrepresents an activeaccumulationof granulocytesat the site of inflammation ratherthannonspecific blood-pool activity judgedbyresults of @Tc-HMPAO-RBC imaging. Wefoundthatimaging within 2 hr frominjectionhasa highdiagnostic value,and that the activityaccumulates in areasof infectionand inflammation fasterthanintheintestinal background.