Detection of postcardiotomy bacterial pericarditis with gallium-67 citrate

Journal Article · Tue Apr 01 00:00:00 EST 1986 · Clin. Nucl. Med.; (United States)

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1097/00003072-198604000-00015· OSTI ID:5530900

Zuckier, L S; Weissmann, H S; Goldman, M J; Brodman, R; Kamholz, S L; Freeman, L M

A 46-year-old man who had undergone apical cardiac aneurysmectomy with a ventriculotomy graft and implanted automatic cardioverter-defibrillator electrodes, presented with fever, left-sided pleuritic chest pain, and a draining sinus. A Ga-67 scan was performed to aid in determining whether the infection was limited to the chest wall or if it had penetrated deeper to the cardiac structures. Uptake of gallium within the cardiac region, in association with minimal rib uptake of Tc-99m MDP, strongly supported the existence of infection within the pericardium. CT scan demonstrated a pericardial collection which under CT-guided aspiration proved to be purulent. Definitive surgical drainage was performed, and the patient was discharged 4 weeks postoperatively. Ga-67 imaging can provide an accurate and relatively rapid means of localizing infection in the postcardiotomy patient. A thorough bibliography of pericardial gallium uptake is provided.

• Research Organization: Montefiore Medical Center, Bronx, NY
• OSTI ID: 5530900
• Journal Information: Clin. Nucl. Med.; (United States), Vol. 4
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

62 RADIOLOGY AND NUCLEAR MEDICINE
GALLIUM 67
UPTAKE
HEART
COMPUTERIZED TOMOGRAPHY
RADIOISOTOPE SCANNING
DIAGNOSIS
INFLAMMATION
PATIENTS
PERICARDIUM
BETA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BODY
CARDIOVASCULAR SYSTEM
COUNTING TECHNIQUES
DAYS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
DIAGNOSTIC TECHNIQUES
ELECTRON CAPTURE RADIOISOTOPES
GALLIUM ISOTOPES
INTERMEDIATE MASS NUCLEI
ISOTOPES
MEMBRANES
NUCLEI
ODD-EVEN NUCLEI
ORGANS
PATHOLOGICAL CHANGES
RADIOISOTOPES
SEROUS MEMBRANES
SYMPTOMS
TOMOGRAPHY
550601* - Medicine- Unsealed Radionuclides in Diagnostics