title: Image acquisition and interpretation criteria for 99mTc-HMPAO-labelled white blood cell scintigraphy: results of a multicentre study.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  There is no consensus yet on the best protocol for planar image acquisition and interpretation of radiolabelled white blood cell (WBC) scintigraphy. This may account for differences in reported diagnostic accuracy amongst different centres.
  
  
  METHODS
  This was a multicentre retrospective study analysing 235 WBC scans divided into two groups. The first group of scans (105 patients) were acquired with a fixed-time acquisition protocol and the second group (130 patients) were acquired with a decay time-corrected acquisition protocol. Planar images were interpreted both qualitatively and semiquantitatively. Three blinded readers analysed the images.
  
  
  RESULTS
  The most accurate imaging acquisition protocol comprised image acquisition at 3 - 4 h and at 20 - 24 h in time mode with acquisition times corrected for isotope decay.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Using this protocol, visual analysis had high sensitivity and specificity in the diagnosis of infection. Semiquantitative analysis could be used in doubtful cases, with no cut-off for the percentage increase in radiolabelled WBC over time, as a criterion to define a positive scan.
authors.affiliation: Regional Center of Nuclear Medicine, Department of Translational Research and Advanced Technologies in Medicine, University of Pisa Medical School, Pisa, Italy.
authors.forename: Paola A
authors.initials: PA
authors.lastname: Erba
authors.forename: Andor W J M
authors.initials: AW
authors.lastname: Glaudemans
authors.forename: Niels C
authors.initials: NC
authors.lastname: Veltman
authors.forename: Martina
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Sollini
authors.forename: Marta
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Pacilio
authors.forename: Filippo
authors.initials: F
authors.lastname: Galli
authors.forename: Rudi A J O
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Dierckx
authors.forename: Alberto
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Signore
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D016022:Case-Control Studies; D005260:Female; D006622:Hip Prosthesis / Q000009:adverse effects; D006801:Humans; D007720:Knee Prosthesis / Q000009:adverse effects; D007962:Leukocytes / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D010019:Osteomyelitis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D055420:Perfusion Imaging; D016459:Prosthesis-Related Infections / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D016037:Single-Blind Method; D018461:Soft Tissue Infections / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D019690:Technetium Tc 99m Exametazime; D015899:Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon
chemical_list: D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D019690:Technetium Tc 99m Exametazime