Laparoscopic accessory splenectomy using intraoperative gamma probe guidance

In cases of accessory splenic tissue in postsplenectomy patients, it is of utmost importance to localize the accessory spleen prior to surgery. Several studies have shown the feasibility of laparoscopic resection of accessory splenic tissue using preoperative scintigraphy. We present the cases of three postsplenectomy patients with accessory splenic tissue causing relapsing hematologic disease. Accessory spleens were diagnosed and localized preoperatively by positive uptake of heat-damaged Tc99m-labeled red blood cells using scintigraphy. Two patients with relapse of immune thrombocytopenic purpura and one with hemolytic anemia underwent handheld gamma probe-assisted laparoscopic accessory splenectomy. One patient with immune thrombocytopenic purpura recovered his platelet count at 3-year follow-up. The other patient had a relapse of disease within 3 months despite successful removal of the accessory spleen. The patient with hemolytic anemia had postoperative relapse; two accessory spleens were identified on radionuclide investigation. The use of intraoperative nuclear imaging can greatly aid in localization and provide confirmation of complete laparoscopic excision of the nuclear focus. The technique is especially useful in cases of a small accessory spleen, by avoiding a major open procedure and contributing to good postoperative results.

The interference of medical radionuclides with occupational in vivo gamma spectrometry

Radiation workers undergo routine monitoring for the evaluation of external and internal radiation exposures. The monitoring of internal exposures involves gamma spectrometry of the whole body (whole body counting) and measurements of excreta samples. Medical procedures involving internal administration of radioactive radionuclides are widely and commonly used. Medical radionuclides are typically short-lived, but high activities are generally administered, whereas occupational radionuclides are mostly long-lived and, if present, are found generally in relatively smaller quantities. The aim of the present work was to study the interference of some common medical radionuclides (201Tl, 9mTc, 57Co, and 131I) with the detection of internal occupational exposures to natural uranium and to 137Cs. Workers having undergone a medical procedure with one of the radionuclides mentioned above were asked to give frequent urine samples and to undergo whole body and thyroid counting with phoswich detectors operated at the Nuclear Research Center Negev. Urine and whole body counting monitoring were continued as long as radioactivity was detectable by gamma spectrometry. The results indicate that the activity of medical radionuclides may interfere with interpretation of occupational intakes for months after administration.

Primary Bilateral Adrenal Lymphoma Relapsing as a Solid Cerebral Mass After Complete Clinical Remission

Primary adrenal lymphoma is extremely rare. Only 75 cases have been reported in the medical literature. A case of non-Hodgkin's lymphoma originating in both adrenal glands is presented. Combination chemotherapy apparently produced complete disappearance of the primary lymphomatous lesions, but subsequently a cerebral relapse was discovered 6 months later, in the form of a solid brain mass. Cranial extension of primary adrenal lymphoma is extremely unusual, and the presentation as a solid mass seems to be unique.

Diagnosis of pyogenic pelvic inflammatory diseases by 99mTc-HMPAO leucocyte scintigraphy

Pelvic inflammatory disease (PID) is one of the major health problems of women of child-bearing age. Among the most serious complications of PID is the formation of a tubo-ovarian abscess (TOA). Early diagnosis of this condition may prevent serious surgical complications such as peritonitis and sepsis, which may be fatal. The purpose of this study was to investigate the efficacy of technetium-99m hexamethylpropylene amine oxime (HMPAO) leucocyte scintigraphy in the diagnosis of TOA. Twenty women with high clinical suspicion of TOA underwent 99mTc-HMPAO leucocyte scintigraphy. The labelling of leucocytes with 99mTc-HMPAO was performed according to a standard protocol. Scans were obtained at 1, 3 and 24 h following the injection of the labelled leucocytes. In eight cases the early and/or late scan was positive, in 11 cases it was negative, and in one case of ovarian cyst torsion, confirmed by laparoscopy, it showed slight uptake in the capsule of the cyst (false-positive). The sensitivity of 99mTc-HMPAO leucocyte scintigraphy was 100%, specificity 91.6%, positive predictive value 89%, negative predictive value 100% and overall accuracy 95%. It is concluded that leucocyte scintigraphy is a non-invasive, safe, physiological and accurate procedure for the diagnosis of TOA. The 24-h scan is crucial, since in some cases the abscess was not clearly visualized on the early scan. Leucocyte scintigraphy may reduce the need for CT, diagnostic laparoscopy and unnecessary invasive surgical procedures.

Bilateral idiopathic chondrolysis of the hip: a case report

A case of bilateral idiopathic chondrolysis of the hip is presented. Chondrolysis is a process characterized by progressive necrosis of the hyaline cartilage of the acetabulum and femoral head, resulting in secondary joint space narrowing and stiffness. A 14-year-old boy was followed during a 2-year period, and the diagnostic values of the different imaging methods (radiography, magnetic resonance imaging [MRI], and bone scintigraphy) were evaluated. Scintigraphic evidence of marked periarticular uptake and premature fusion of the epiphysis of the greater trochanter was a reliable indicator of chondrolysis. Furthermore, the bone scan could precede other imaging methods (radiography and MRI) in the diagnosis of the progression of the pathologic process, status of the remodeling activity, and early involvement of an opposite joint. Given the high sensitivity of bone scans and the high specificity of radiographic and MRI examinations in the diagnosis of acute chondrolysis of the hip, all three methods are valuable and should be used as complementary diagnostic tools.

Renal transplant dysfunction due to severe aorto-iliac atherosclerosis in the presence of patent renal transplant artery

We report a case of progressive deterioration in renal function and decreased renal graft perfusion induced by extensive aorto-iliac atherosclerotic lesions proximal to a patent renal graft artery. Significant improvement in kidney graft function followed left axillo-femoral bypass graft surgery, which to the best of our knowledge, has never been performed previously for permanent maintenance of renal transplant perfusion.

Diagnosis of urinary leak following abdominal total hysterectomy using renal scintigraphy

Surgical trauma to the urinary system is a relatively rare complication following gynecological surgery. A case of urinary leak from rupture of the bladder following abdominal hysterectomy was diagnosed by Tc-99m-DTPA renal scintigraphy and confirmed by direct radio-isotopic cystography. Renal scintigraphic techniques should be very helpful in early diagnosis of surgical damage to the urinary tract.

Unilateral acute renal cortical necrosis: correlative imaging

Bilateral acute cortical necrosis is a rare form of acute renal failure characterized by necrosis of the renal cortex and sparing of the medulla. Little information on the imaging presentation of bilateral acute renal cortical necrosis is available. The enhanced CT appearance is pathognomonic and diagnostic. The unilateral presentation of acute cortical necrosis is extremely rare, and no imaging methods have been described. The authors chose to apply scintigraphic evaluation to this unique condition complementary to CT to confirm the diagnosis. Mercaptoacetylglycine (T3) was selected to assess tubular damage, in contrast to the pure glomerular agent DTPA. Evidence of some tubular function and clear delineation of the shrunken kidney was found. Conversely, in the DTPA study the kidney was not visualized. A DMSA scan was performed for assessment of viability of the renal cortex and showed a photopenic halo around the small area of the viable cortex of the upper pole. The halo sign represents a cortical loss. The visualization of the upper pole as evidence of cortical viability as a consequence of collateral blood flow from capsular vessels was seen on angiography. Radiographic and scintigraphic correlation of this rare condition may be an effective means to confirm the diagnosis and to establish the extent of involvement. However, contrast CT remains the preferred method in the diagnosis of acute cortical necrosis.

[Masked mastoiditis]

Masked mastoiditis defines a subclinical infectious inflammatory process of the mucosal lining and the bony structure of the mastoid air cells, with intact tympanic membrane. It follows an apparently well-treated recent acute otitis media. Because of obstruction of the tympanic diaphragm by mucosal swelling, polypoid mucosa or granulation tissue, a complete separation of the tubo-tympanic cavity from the mastoid air cell system results. The latter remains unaereated and the local infectious mucosal disease progresses to osteitis. Probably due to colonizing flora in this unventilated media, the developing bone infection is low-grade, without pus formation. The clinical features of the disease are not overt as those in coalescent mastoiditis. The intact ear drum does not reflect the severity of bone-eroding disease within the mastoid. Since this disease is characterized not by exudative but by proliferative changes, there is no pus formation. The incidence of complications is high. Plain x-ray and CT scan do not specifically define the disease process, but bone scan indicates the bone-invading nature of the mastoid infection. The osteoblastic reaction secondary to osteitis is demonstrated by high uptake of the isotope in the involved mastoid. Antibiotics may cure the disease, but in most cases surgery is unavoidable.

Radionuclide imaging of soft tissue masses with Tc-99m DTPA

A scintigraphic study was carried out on 48 patients presenting with palpable soft tissue masses. Imaging was carried out using Tc-99m DTPA in three phases (dynamic, blood pool after 5 minutes, followed by late scans after 2 hours). The resultant uptake of the agent was categorized as consistently positive (14 cases), initially positive but progressively negative (7 cases), initially negative but progressively positive (7 cases), and consistently negative (20 cases). Histopathologic examinations were carried out for all cases following biopsy. A variety of malignant and benign masses were found to localize DTPA, whereas all masses that did not concentrate the agent were proven to be lipomas. In order to determine whether the uptake of DTPA bore any relationship to blood flow, additional studies using Tc-99m labeled red cells were carried out on 15 patients with soft tissue tumors. There was no correlation between blood flow or pooling and the degree of Tc-99m DTPA uptake by the palpable masses. The sensitivity of DTPA uptake as indicative of nonlipomatous tissue was 100%, and its specificity was 91%. The predictive probability that a lesion was a liopoma if there was no DTPA uptake at any phase was 100%.

Evaluation of bile duct complications after orthotopic liver transplantation by hepatobiliary scanning

A new radiopharmaceutical for hepatobiliary scanning, 99Tcm Iodida, which has significant advantages in patients with high bilirubinaemia, was used to assess biliary tract complications in 30 consecutive liver transplant patients. There was adequate hepatic extraction and excretion for diagnostic imaging even in patients with serum bilirubin levels up to 877 mumol l-1 (51.6 mg dl-1). Twelve out of 12 cases (100%) without any biliary complication were correctly diagnosed. Extrahepatic obstruction was recognized in 5 out of 7 cases (71%). In one case the scintigraphic findings showed no perfusion of the transplanted liver caused by vascular thrombosis due to acute rejection. One small biliary leak was missed. The correct diagnosis of intrahepatic cholestasis was made in 3 out of 9 patients. However six equivocal studies were observed in profoundly jaundiced patients with bilirubin levels above 400 mumol l-1 due to difficulties in differentiating extrahepatic obstruction from severe intrahepatic cholestasis. Quantitative analysis of the kinetics of 99Tcm Iodida may permit better discrimination between the wide variety of disease in the posttransplant period.

Diagnosis of acute cholecystitis by 99mTc-iminodiacetic acid cholescintigraphy

99mTc-iminodiacetic acid (IDA) compounds are concentrated by hepatocytes and excreted into the biliary system. The utility of 99mTc-IDA imaging in 116 patients with suspected acute cholecystitis was studied retrospectively over a 2-year period. Visualization of the gallbladder ruled out obstructed cystic duct and acute cholecystitis with a high degree of accuracy.