Uptake of gallium-67 citrate in clean surgical incisions after colorectal surgery

Non-specific accumulation of gallium-67 citrate (gallium) in uncomplicated surgical incisions is not uncommon, It is important to know the normal patt ern of gallium uptake at surgical incision sites in order to properly inter pret the gallium scan when investigating possible wound infection in patien ts who have undergone abdominal surgery. We studied 42 patients without wou nd infection after colorectal surgery and performed gallium scans within 40 days after surgery. Patients were divided into three groups according to t he interval between the operation and the scan. In group A (26 patients) ga llium scan was performed within 7 days after surgery, in group B (8 patient s) between 8 and 14 days after surgery, and in group C (8 patients) between 15 and 40 days after surgery. Our data showed that in group A, 61.5% had g allium accumulation at the surgical incision site. In group B, 50% had accu mulation of gallium at the surgical incision site, while in group C only on e patient (12.5%) showed gallium uptake. It is concluded that the incidence of increased gallium uptake at clean surgical incision sites is high after colorectal surgery, Nuclear medicine physicians should bear in mind the hi gh incidence of nonspecific gallium uptake at such sites during the interpr etation of possible wound infection in patients after colorectal surgery.