title: New isotopic technique for detecting prosthetic arterial graft infection: 99mTc-hexametazime-labelled leucocyte imaging.
abstract: Early and accurate detection of prosthetic arterial graft infection is important because this serious complication of vascular surgery carries high morbidity and mortality rates. This report describes the use of a new method of isotopic imaging to detect graft infection using 99mTc-hexametazime-labelled leucocytes. Seventeen patients with potentially infected arterial grafts were imaged in addition to routine investigations but were managed according to our normal surgical practice. 99mTc-imaging was positive in eight patients with proven graft infection and falsely positive in one patient with a groin haematoma (89 per cent specificity). There were no false negatives (100 per cent sensitivity) after an average follow-up of 6 months (range 3-9 months). This technique has proved a reliable and rapid method of confirming graft infection.
authors: Department of Vascular Surgery, Freeman Hospital, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, UK.
authors: R L
authors: RL
authors: Insall
authors: N A
authors: NA
authors: Jones
authors: J
authors: J
authors: Chamberlain
authors: D
authors: D
authors: Lambert
authors: P M
authors: PM
authors: Keavey
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D001807:Blood Vessel Prosthesis; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007962:Leukocytes / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015609:Organotechnetium Compounds; D010091:Oximes; D011093:Polyethylene Terephthalates; D011138:Polytetrafluoroethylene; D011183:Postoperative Complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging; D012086:Reoperation; D019690:Technetium Tc 99m Exametazime; D013997:Time Factors
chemical_list: D015609:Organotechnetium Compounds; D010091:Oximes; D011093:Polyethylene Terephthalates; D019690:Technetium Tc 99m Exametazime; D011138:Polytetrafluoroethylene