title: The labeled-leukocyte scan in the study of abdominal abscesses.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  The purpose of the present paper was to review the literature over the last 30 years to assess the value of radionuclide imaging, particularly labeled leukocyte scan, as compared to other imaging modalities in the management of abdominal abscesses.
  
  
  METHODS
  A systematic review of the published studies in humans cited in PubMed written in English, French, German, Italian, and Spanish was made.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Ultrasound (US) has lower sensitivity than leukocyte scan (LS), particularly in patients without localizing signs, while CT has higher sensitivity than US, but less than LS. On the other hand, CT had higher specificity than both LS and US.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  LS is the more sensitive method to localize abdominal abscesses and may guide dedicated US and CT investigations to improve their diagnostic potential. Further diagnostic evolution is expected from the routine use of hybrid SPECT/CT systems.
authors.affiliation: Service of Nuclear Medicine, Department of Radiological Sciences, La Sapienza University of Rome, Rome, Italy.
authors.forename: Mauro
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Liberatore
authors.forename: Enrico
authors.initials: E
authors.lastname: Calandri
authors.forename: Gabriele
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: Ciccariello
authors.forename: Marzia
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Fioravanti
authors.forename: Valentina
authors.initials: V
authors.lastname: Megna
authors.forename: Lucia
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Rampin
authors.forename: Maria Cristina
authors.initials: MC
authors.lastname: Marzola
authors.forename: Imene
authors.initials: I
authors.lastname: Zerizer
authors.forename: Adil
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Al-Nahhas
authors.forename: Domenico
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Rubello
mesh_terms: D018784:Abdominal Abscess / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D000465:Algorithms; D006801:Humans; D007962:Leukocytes / Q000378:metabolism* / Q000473:pathology; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging; D013194:Staining and Labeling / Q000379:methods*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods; D014463:Ultrasonography / Q000379:methods