title: 99mTc-leukocyte scintigraphy in prosthetic vascular graft infections.
abstract: The aim of this study was to determine the diagnostic value of scintigraphy with 99mTc-HMPAO-labelled leukocytes for the detection of prosthetic vascular graft infection. 51 scans were recorded in 19 patients with suspected vascular graft infection and 8 control patients. Three-phase scanning was used at 0.5, 3-6 and 18-24 h. 13 vascular graft infections (10 early, 3 late) were found. 12 of these healed with antibiotics and only one patient with late infection had to be reoperated. None of them died during the follow-up period. The sensitivity was 100% and the specificity 96%. 99mTc-leukocyte scintigraphy seems a useful tool to detect vascular graft infection and to differentiate it from infections elsewhere. The results suggest that the incidence of vascular graft infection may be greater, and the mortality rate lower, than supposed before.
authors.affiliation: Päijät-Häme Central Hospital, Lahti, Finland.
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Vorne
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Laitinen
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Lehtonen
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Soini
authors.forename: I
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Toivio
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Mokka
mesh_terms: D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001807:Blood Vessel Prosthesis; D002951:Citrates; D019343:Citric Acid; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007962:Leukocytes; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D009942:Organometallic Compounds; D010091:Oximes; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging; D013530:Surgical Wound Infection / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D013667:Technetium; D019690:Technetium Tc 99m Exametazime
chemical_list: D002951:Citrates; D009942:Organometallic Compounds; D010091:Oximes; D019343:Citric Acid; D019690:Technetium Tc 99m Exametazime; D013667:Technetium