title: Red blood cell scintigraphy in children with acute massive gastrointestinal bleeding.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  The main topic of the current review is the usefulness of technetium-99m-labeled red blood cell scintigraphy ((99m)Tc RBC scan) in children with acute massive gastrointestinal (GI) bleeding.
  
  
  METHODS
  The medical records of pediatric patients who experienced massive GI bleeding and who underwent (99m)Tc RBC scanning between November 1991 and December 2004 were reviewed and analyzed retrospectively.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The study included 22 patients who underwent 23 (99m)Tc RBC scans. The scans were usually performed after other diagnostic tests failed to locate the bleeding. The diagnostic sensitivity of the scans was nine out of 23 (39.1%). The test demonstrated a positive scan within the first 2 h in six patients, and three patients had positive results at 24 h. The locations of the lesions identified on scanning and surgical investigation were highly correlated in patients with a positive scan within 2 h.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  The (99m)Tc RBC scan is a sensitive, albeit non-specific, method for detecting GI bleeding. The location of a lesion as indicated by a positive scan within 2 h is helpful for guiding surgical intervention and angiography, although a definitive diagnosis should be made with other methods, particularly laparotomy.
authors: Graduate Institute of Clinical Medical Sciences, College of Medicine, Chang Gung Children's Hospital, Taoyuan, Taiwan.
authors: Jung
authors: J
authors: Lee
authors: Ming-Wei
authors: MW
authors: Lai
authors: Chien-Chang
authors: CC
authors: Chen
authors: Shih-Yen
authors: SY
authors: Chen
authors: Hsun-Chin
authors: HC
authors: Chao
authors: Sheng-Chieh
authors: SC
authors: Chan
authors: Man-Shan
authors: MS
authors: Kong
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D015331:Cohort Studies; D004912:Erythrocytes / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D005260:Female; D006471:Gastrointestinal Hemorrhage / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D007410:Intestinal Diseases / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008297:Male; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging; D012189:Retrospective Studies