TC-99M-HMPAO LABELED LEUKOCYTES SCAN IN I NFLAMMATORY BOWEL-DISEASE

The value of Tc-99m-hexamethylpropileneamine oxime (HMPAO) leukocyte i mages has been confirmed in patients with Inflamatory Dowel Disease. W e performed 121 scintigraphic examination. The results were evaluated by radiologic and/or endoscopic examinations. The patients were divide d into three subgrups: A) patients with active disease and less than 1 5 days of corticoterapy (n = 42). B) patients with active disease and more than 15 days of corticoterapy (n = 31). C) asymptomatic patients (n = 48). Over all sensitivity and specificity were 86% and 92.2% resp ectively. The sensitivity in subgrup A was 97.5% and 70% in the subgru p B. In the subgrup A the isotopic study showed the entire area of act ive inflammation in 95% (38/40) and colonoscopy in 32.5% (13/40). The leucocyte scanning showed clear pathologic activity in the ileum with a sensitivity of 86%. We conclude that Tc-99m-leukocyte scintigraphy i s the best method to assess the location of active inflammation in pat ients with less than 15 days of treatment. Scintigraphy was best in th e assessment of active disease especially in Crohn's disease of the sm all bowel.