title: Incremental value of SPECT/CT in detection of Meckel's diverticulum in a 10-year-old child.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  Meckel's diverticulum is a common congenital abnormality of gastrointestinal tract in children. Planar scintigraphy using Technetium-99m pertechnetate is widely used in the diagnosis of Meckel's diverticulum. Single photon emission computed tomography/computed tomography (SPECT/CT) fusion imaging may help to locate the Meckel's diverticulum lesion. We now present a Meckel's diverticulum case which tends to be missed.
  
  
  METHODS
  The patient was diagnosed with Mecke's diverticulum by planar scintigraphy in 2007. After seven years, a recurrence of hematochezia made the patient undergo planar scintigraphy again. However, the concentration on planar image was located at the right kidney level, we could not determine whether it was caused by physiological uptake of the right kidney or by an ectopic gastric mucosa. Using SPECT/CT technique, we confirmed that the lower part of the concentration was from a Meckel's diverticulum from the small intestine based on the functional and anatomical information together.
  
  
  RESULTS
  For concentrations about the kidney level, planar scintigraphy is not enough to be diagnostic of Meckel's diverticulum. SPECT/CT imaging may be beneficial for a definitive diagnosis. Also, fusion images may provide precise localization of the lesion. To make sure that patients obtain optimal benefit from a SPECT/CT examination, we have to balance the priority between information of anatomic location and avoiding redundant radiation to the patients.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Our case study suggest that for cases with ambiguous planar scintigraphy images, SPECT/CT imaging should be performed to obtain a definitive diagnosis.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nuclear Medicine, China-Japan Union Hospital, Jilin University, 126 Xiantai Avenue, Changchun, 130033 China.
authors.forename: Qian
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Xie
authors.affiliation: Department of Nuclear Medicine, China-Japan Union Hospital, Jilin University, 126 Xiantai Avenue, Changchun, 130033 China.
authors.forename: Qingjie
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Ma
authors.affiliation: Department of Nuclear Medicine, China-Japan Union Hospital, Jilin University, 126 Xiantai Avenue, Changchun, 130033 China.
authors.forename: Bin
authors.initials: B
authors.lastname: Ji
authors.affiliation: Department of Nuclear Medicine, China-Japan Union Hospital, Jilin University, 126 Xiantai Avenue, Changchun, 130033 China.
authors.forename: Shi
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Gao
authors.affiliation: Department of Nuclear Medicine, China-Japan Union Hospital, Jilin University, 126 Xiantai Avenue, Changchun, 130033 China.
authors.forename: Qiang
authors.initials: Q
authors.lastname: Wen
keywords: Meckel’s diverticulum; Planar scintigraphy; SPECT/CT