Active inflammatory bowel disease: evaluation with 99mTc (V) DMSA scintigraphy.
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate the use of pentavalent (V) technetium 99m (99mTc) dimercaptosuccinic acid (DMSA) scintigraphy for the assessment of disease activity in patients with inflammatory bowel disease (IBD).


METHODS
99mTc (V) DMSA scintigraphy was performed in 76 patients. There were 36 patients with active IBD (11 with ulcerative colitis, 25 with Crohn disease), 28 patients with inactive disease (eight with ulcerative colitis, 20 with Crohn disease), and 12 patients with miscellaneous bowel disease. Sensitivity and specificity of 99mTc (V) DMSA scintigraphy in the diagnosis of IBD were calculated. In the group with active IBD, the disease activity and laboratory indices, as well as the endoscopic and histologic activity, were compared with the scanning activity index. Correlation coefficients between them were calculated with the Spearman rank test.


RESULTS
99mTc (V) DMSA scintigraphy had a 92% (33 of 36) sensitivity and an 86% (24 of 28) specificity in the detection of active IBD. A significant correlation between disease activity indices and scintigraphy score was demonstrated. Endoscopic and histologic activity was significantly correlated (P =.005 and.02, respectively, overall disease activity) with the scanning activity score. Of the group of patients with miscellaneous bowel disease, three with ischemic colitis had negative findings at scintigraphy.


CONCLUSIONS
99mTc (V) DMSA scintigraphy provides a noninvasive, practical, and accurate assessment of IBD activity.
Koutroubakis
Ioannis E
IE
Departments of Gastroenterology and Nuclear Medicine, University Hospital Heraklion, Voutes, 71110 Heraklion, Crete, Greece. ktjohn@her.forthnet.gr
Koukouraki
Sophia I
SI
Dimoulios
Philippos D
PD
Velidaki
Antigoni A
AA
Karkavitsas
Nikolaos S
NS
Kouroumalis
Elias A
EA
D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D003093:Colitis, Ulcerative / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D003424:Crohn Disease / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D015212:Inflammatory Bowel Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D007422:Intestines / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D019783:Technetium Tc 99m Dimercaptosuccinic Acid
D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D019783:Technetium Tc 99m Dimercaptosuccinic Acid