The single late 99Tcm granulocyte antibody scan in inflammatory diseases

Abstract

Immunoscintigraphy using 555–740 MBq ⁹⁹Tc^m -labelled monoclonal antigranulocyte antibodies (IgGl against NCA-95) (BW250/183) was performed in 56 patients. In 32 of them inflammatory or infectious lesions were proven or excluded histologically. Gamma camera scans were performed 4 to 6 and 20 h postinjection (p.i.). Eight of 14 infectious or inflammatory lesions could be detected in the early scan (4–6h p.i.). Sensitivity, specificity and diagnostic accuracy of the early scan were 57, 89 and 75%. Sensitivity, specificity and diagnostic accuracy in 19 patients with bone or prosthetic bone infections (87, 81 and 84%, respectively) were lower than in patients with abdominal or soft tissue infections (100%). The overall sensitivity, specificity and diagnostic accuracy of the 20 h scan was 86, 89 and 88%, respectively. It is concluded that the high diagnostic accuracy of immunoscintigraphy justifies a broader application of the scan in the diagnosis of infectious diseases. It is recommended that only late scans (20 h p.i.) are necessary.