Leukocyte-technetium-99m uptake in Crohn's disease: does it show subclinical disease?
OBJECTIVE
To evaluate inflammatory activity in patients with Crohn's disease (CD) using technetium-99m-hexamethylpropyleneamine oxime (99mTc-HMPAO) granulocyte scintigraphy.


METHODS
Twenty patients (7 male and 13 female) with CD and five healthy volunteers were selected for 99mTc-HMPAO granulocyte scintigraphy. The Crohn's Disease Activity Index (CDAI), blood tests and C-reactive protein (CRP) of each patient were performed 7 d before the scintigraphic images. The leukocytes were labeled according to the International Society of Radiolabeled Blood Elements (ISORBE) consensus protocol and the scintigraphic images, including single photon emission computed tomography, were obtained 30 min and 2 h after injection of the radiolabeled leukocytes.


RESULTS
The labeling yield of the leukocytes with the lipophilic complex 99mTc-HMPAO was 55.0% +/- 10%. Six of the 20 patients (30%) presented congruent results for the three parameters investigated (CDAI, Scintigraphic Index and CRP). On the other hand, 14 patients (70%) did not show congruent results. There was no significant correlation between the indices analyzed according to the Spearman test (P > 0.05, n = 20).


CONCLUSIONS
The results suggest that 99mTc-HMPAO-labeled leukocyte scintigraphy could be important for determining inflammatory activity in CD even in the absence of clinical symptoms.
Mota
Luciene G
LG
Radioisotope Laboratory, Pharmacy Faculty, Federal University of Minas Gerais, 31270-901, Belo Horizonte, Minas Gerais, Brazil.
Coelho
Luiz G V
LG
Simal
Carlos J R
CJ
Ferrari
Maria L A
ML
Toledo
Clodomiro
C
Martin-Comin
Josep
J
Diniz
Simone O F
SO
Cardoso
Valbert N
VN
D000328:Adult; D002097:C-Reactive Protein / Q000378:metabolism; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D003424:Crohn Disease / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000378:metabolism*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007249:Inflammation / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000378:metabolism; D007962:Leukocytes / Q000378:metabolism*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D012720:Severity of Illness Index; D019690:Technetium Tc 99m Exametazime / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*
D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D019690:Technetium Tc 99m Exametazime; D002097:C-Reactive Protein