Pitfalls in the Performance and Interpretation of Scintigraphic Imaging for Pleuroperitoneal Shunt

SPECT/CT in Pleuroperitoneal Fistula Associated With Peritoneal Dialysis

ABSTRACT

Pleuroperitoneal fistula is a rare entity found in approximately 1.6% of patients with peritoneal dialysis. The pathophysiology is unknown, and it is usually associated with increased abdominal pressure. Upon pleural fluid analysis, a transudate with elevated glucose concentration is found, and the patients present with acute dyspnea, cough, and decrease in the ultrafiltration rate. We present the case of an 81-year-old woman with history of peritoneal dialysis presenting with recurrent pleural effusion. A peritoneal scintigraphy with 99m Tc was performed confirming the diagnosis of pleuroperitoneal fistula.

Clinical Impact of SPECT/CT in Evaluation of Abdominothoracic Fistula

ABSTRACT

Abdominothoracic fistula is rarely observed but can be life-threatening. Pleuroperitoneal communication, known to occur in 1.6% of all patients who undergo continuous ambulatory peritoneal dialysis, is an uncommon but well-recognized complication. The most common symptoms are dyspnea and right-sided pleural effusion. A biliopleural fistula is well-described as a complication of radiofrequency ablation and transcatheter arterial chemoembolization of hepatic lesions. It is important to diagnose the cause of pleural effusion early for proper treatment because if the abdominothoracic fistula effusion amount is not large, appropriate diagnosis may be difficult. Here, we introduce 2 cases showing the usefulness of SPECT/CT in evaluating pleuroperitoneal and biliopleural fistulas.

Pulmonary complications of portal hypertension: The overlooked decompensation

The systemic nature of cirrhosis and portal hypertension has long been recognized, and the amount of data characterizing the interplay between each system is becoming ever so complex. Lung involvement was among the first described associated entities in cirrhosis, with reports dating back to the late nineteenth century. However, it appears that throughout the years, interest in the pulmonary complications of portal hypertension has generally faded, especially in contrast to other decompensating events, as expertise in this field has primarily been concentrated in highly experienced tertiary care facilities and liver transplantation centers. Despite affecting up to 10%-15% of patients with advanced liver disease and having a proven prognostic impact, hepato-pulmonary syndrome, porto-pulmonary hypertension, and hepatic hydrothorax are frequently misdiagnosed, mistreated, or misinterpreted. This lack of precision might adversely impact patient care, referral to expert centers, and, ultimately, liver disease-related mortality and successful transplantation odds. The present minireview aims to increase awareness of the pulmonary complications of chronic liver disease by providing a brief overview of each of the three entities. The paper focuses on the essential theoretical aspects, addressing the most critical knowledge gaps on the one hand and, on the other hand, critically discussing one key issue for each complication.

Non-infectious complications of peritoneal dialysis and peritoneal scintigraphy

Peritoneal dialysis (PD) is an alternative to hemodialysis that is indicated in patients with chronic end-stage disease. It has many advantages, but also complications such as dialysate leaks around the catheter insertion site, in the abdominal wall or in the pleural cavity, inguinoscrotal hernia and even intra-abdominal fluid collection. Peritoneal scintigraphy is a simple, non-invasive, low-irradiation examination, without the risk of allergy, that allows both diagnosing and locating these complications because it allows acquiring images at the time of infusion, as well as remotely and after drainage of the dialysate. Tomoscintigraphy coupled with scanner SPECT / CT (Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography / Computed Tomography) can also help narrow the diagnosis. The objective of this article is to clarify the value of peritoneal scintigraphy in the diagnosis of non-infectious complications of peritoneal dialysis, the conditions for performing the examination and the potential indications, as illustrated by a few cases.

Utility of Scintigraphy in Assessment of Noninfectious Complications of Peritoneal Dialysis

Dialysis is an artificial process to remove waste products and excess water from the body in patients with kidney failure. Two main types of dialysis are available. Hemodialysis, which uses an artificial filtration apparatus, is usually done at specialized centers but can be done in a patient's home. Peritoneal dialysis functions by placing dialysis fluid, also called dialysate, into the peritoneal cavity, allowing for solute to be removed from the peritoneal capillaries through diffusion across a chemical gradient into the dialysate and removal of water through an osmotic gradient created by hypertonic dextrose. Peritoneal dialysis can be either automated, which is done with the help of a machine called a cycler, or continuous ambulatory, which is a process involving multiple exchanges a day and is performed using only gravity to infuse and drain the solution from the peritoneal cavity. For many reasons, the number of people using home dialysis has recently started to rise, with the largest increase in the United States occurring after the implementation of the prospective bundled payment system for end-stage renal disease. With the increased use of home dialysis, potential complications will increase as well. It is imperative that our health-care system be poised not only to increase the number of home dialysis patients but also to diagnose and manage any complications. Nuclear imaging is a commonly available modality to detect various complications related to peritoneal dialysis. In this review article, we discuss the role of peritoneal scintigraphy in detecting some noninfectious peritoneal dialysis complications, with emphasis on scintigraphy technique; imaging time points; the role of planar, SPECT, and SPECT/CT imaging; and the clinical indications, with illustrative case examples.