title: Migration of a particulate radioactive tracer from the vagina to the peritoneal cavity and ovaries.
abstract: In this report we describe a radionuclide procedure designed to evaluate the migration of a particulate radioactive tracer from the vagina to the peritoneal cavity and ovaries, as well as the determination of the patency of the pathways between these two extremes of the female reproductive system. 99mTc-labelled human albumin microspheres (99mTc-HAM) were deposited in the posterior fornices of 24 patients a day before they were to undergo different gynaecological operations. During this period sequential images were obtained and after the operation radioactivity levels in the removed organs and tissues were counted with a scintillation detector. In 14 out of 21 cases, the ovaries and fallopian tubes were counted separately from the uterus. Nine were positive (radioactivity levels were sufficiently high in the tubes and ovaries) and 5 were negative (no substantial radioactivity levels could be detected in either the tubes or the ovaries). The 5 negative results all occurred in patients with proved tubal damage as a result of previous infection. All the results were either true positive or true negative, providing evidence of migration, or obstruction, of 99mTc-HAM from the vagina through the uterus and tubes to the peritoneal cavity and ovaries.
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D010053:Ovary / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000502:physiology*; D010529:Peritoneal Cavity / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000502:physiology*; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging; D013667:Technetium; D014599:Uterus / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000502:physiology; D014621:Vagina / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000502:physiology*
chemical_list: D013667:Technetium