Technetium Tc 99m hexamethyl propylene amine oxine leukocyte scintigraphy in patients with ulcerative colitis: correlation with clinical, biologic, endoscopic, and pathologic intensity, and local release of interleukin 8.
BACKGROUND
Technetium Tc 99m hexamethyl propylene amine oxine (99mTc-HMPAO) has been used to radiolabel leukocytes with promising results for its clinical use in inflammatory bowel disease. During active ulcerative colitis, colonoscopy is indicated to determine the extent and the intensity of the disease for proper management. The aim of this prospective study was to determine whether 99mTc-HMPAO-labeled leukocyte scintigraphy can give information similar to that obtained with colonoscopy during acute attacks of ulcerative colitis.


METHODS
Thirty-three consecutive patients with 50 acute episodes of ulcerative colitis underwent 99mTc-HMPAO scintigraphy and colonoscopy with biopsies. Scintigraphic determination of disease extent and intensity were compared with those obtained by colonoscopy with biopsies and clinicobiologic markers.


RESULTS
The scintigraphic index of disease intensity was correlated with endoscopic index, Truelove index, biologic markers, and local release of interleukin-8. The extent measured by scintigraphy was well correlated to the endoscopic and histologic extent.


CONCLUSIONS
99mTc-HMPAO scintigraphy accurately determines the extent and the intensity of acute ulcerative colitis lesions. This noninvasive method can specify the extent and the intensity of an acute attack in patients with previously known ulcerative colitis.
Guimbaud
R
R
Service d'Hépato-Gastroentérologie, CNRS 1534, Hôpital Cochin et Université René Descartes, Paris V, France.
Beades
E
E
Chauvelot-Moachon
L
L
Quartier
G
G
Gaudric
M
M
Bertrand
V
V
Cellier
C
C
Vidon
N
N
Devaux
J Y
JY
Richard
B
B
Couturier
D
D
Chaussade
S
S
D000328:Adult; D015415:Biomarkers; D003093:Colitis, Ulcerative / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000378:metabolism / Q000473:pathology; D003113:Colonoscopy; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D016209:Interleukin-8 / Q000378:metabolism*; D007962:Leukocytes / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008297:Male; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D019690:Technetium Tc 99m Exametazime
D015415:Biomarkers; D016209:Interleukin-8; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D019690:Technetium Tc 99m Exametazime