title: Detection of focal inflammation with Tc-99m HMPAO labeled leukocytes in children.
abstract: To evaluate the applicability of Tc-99m HMPAO leukocyte scintigraphy in the assessment of focal infections in children, we retrospectively analyzed 26 studies performed between 1988 and 1992. All patients (n = 25, age range 1 month-15 years) were severely ill and suspected to have invasive bacterial infection. In each case, whole body scintigraphy was performed 2-4 hours after injection of autologous labeled leukocytes. There were 8 true positive and 14 true negative cases; specificity was 88% and sensitivity 80%. The two false negative findings were observed in patients on immunosuppressive therapy; both had fungal infections. In one case, atypical non-specific bowel accumulation of the tracer was falsely interpreted as an abscess. The other false positive finding was hip accumulation in a patient who later turned out to have Mucha-Haberman disease; transient synovitis may explain the finding. Of the eight true positive cases, six had an invasive infection focus and two had an aseptic inflammatory process. Tc-99m HMPAO leukocyte scintigraphy is a valuable method in the assessment of focal inflammation in children, including infants.
authors.affiliation: Department of Clinical Physiology and Nuclear Medicine, Kuopio University Hospital, Finland.
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Vanninen
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Korppi
authors.forename: K A
authors.initials: KA
authors.lastname: Bergström
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Länsimies
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000453:epidemiology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D005490:Focal Infection / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000453:epidemiology; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007962:Leukocytes; D008297:Male; D015609:Organotechnetium Compounds; D010091:Oximes; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D019690:Technetium Tc 99m Exametazime
chemical_list: D015609:Organotechnetium Compounds; D010091:Oximes; D019690:Technetium Tc 99m Exametazime