The role of labelled red blood cell scintigraphy in the detection of acutegastrointestinal bleeding

This paper describes the experience with 99m Technetium labelled red blood cell (99mTc RBC) scintigraphy in twenty-two patients presenting with acute gastrointestinal (GI) tract bleeding. Studies were positive in thirteen cas es - eight from the lower GI tract and five from the upper The data from su rgical intervention were available in ten cases. Scintigraphy cannot diagno se the cause of GI bleeding, as it is a nonspecific study. Its usefulness l ies in its ability to accurately diagnose the bleeding site, as was shown i n this study where there was good surgical correlation. The simplicity, rep roducibility and reliability of the technique, particularly when bleeding r ates are low and intermittent, make it, in our view, the first line of inve stigation in any patient with suspected bleeding from the colon or upper GI tract if endoscopic evaluation is not possible in the latter Its current u nder-utilisation in the Caribbean may be a reflection of the lack of nuclea r imaging facilities.