title: Immunoscintigraphy for the detection of brain abscesses.
abstract: The aim of this prospective study was to assess the diagnostic usefulness of a 99Tcm-anti-granulocyte antibody in the early differentiation of the aetiology of a ring-enhancing structure on computed tomography (CT) scans following neurosurgical intervention. In 26 patients (15 males, 11 females) aged 20-82 years with suspected intracranial infection, 29 SPET scans of the head were obtained 4-6 h following the intravenous injection of 555 MBq 99Tcm-anti-granulocyte antibody. The patients had antibiotic, antimycotic or corticosteroid therapy. The diagnosis was confirmed by surgery (19 cases) or subsequent CT/MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) scans and clinical follow-up (10 cases). The immunoscan was true-positive (abscess) in 6 (sensitivity = 100%), true-negative in 19 and false-positive in 4 (specificity 83%) cases. There was no obvious detrimental effect on the results due to the antibiotic, antimycotic or corticosteroid therapy. In conclusion, despite false-positive results, the 99Tcm-anti-granulocyte antibody is a useful tool in the early detection and exclusion of intracranial abscess after neurosurgical interventions.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nuclear Medicine, Georg-August University, Göttingen, Germany.
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Sandrock
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Verheggen
authors.forename: A T
authors.initials: AT
authors.lastname: Helwig
authors.forename: D L
authors.initials: DL
authors.lastname: Munz
authors.forename: E
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Markakis
authors.forename: D
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Emrich
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001922:Brain Abscess / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D001927:Brain Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D005188:False Negative Reactions; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D008279:Magnetic Resonance Imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011446:Prospective Studies; D016719:Radioimmunodetection; D013667:Technetium; D015899:Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
chemical_list: D013667:Technetium