Evaluation of /sup 99m/Tc labeled red blood cell scintigraphy for the detection and localization of gastrointestinal bleeding sites

Journal Article · Sun Aug 01 04:00:00 EDT 1982 · Gastroenterology; (United States)

OSTI ID:6718487

Markisz, J A; Front, D; Royal, H D; Sacks, B; Parker, J A; Kolodny, G M

/sup 99m/Tc labeled red blood cell scintigraphy was performed upon 39 patients with clinical evidence for acute lower gastrointestinal bleeding from an unknown source. Seventeen of 39 patients (44%) had a scan became positive 6 or more h after injection, consistent with intermittent bleeding, in 8 of 17 patients (47%). In the 11 patients in whom the bleeding site was definitely identified by arteriography, surgery, or colonoscopy, scintigraphy correctly localized the bleeding site in 10 of 11 patients (91%). Four of 11 patients (36%) had an active bleeding site identified by arteriography. Ten of 17 patients (58%) with a positive scan required either gelfoam embolization (4 patients) or surgery (6 patients) to control the bleeding, whereas only 1 of 22 patients (5%) required surgery when the scan was negative. Six deaths occurred in the scan-positive patients compared with no deaths in the scan-negative patients. None of the 8 patients who had arteriography and no active bleeding site by scintigraphy had arteriographically demonstrable active bleeding. Scintigraphy provides a reliable noninvasive test to screen patients in whom arteriography is being considered to localize active bleeding sites. If the arteriogram is negative, the scintigraphic findings alone may guide the surgical or arteriographic intervention. In addition, scintigraphy identifies two patient populations which have considerably different morbidity and mortality.

• Research Organization: Harvard Medical School, Boston, Massachusetts
• OSTI ID: 6718487
• Journal Information: Gastroenterology; (United States), Journal Name: Gastroenterology; (United States) Vol. 83:2; ISSN GASTA
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

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59 BASIC BIOLOGICAL SCIENCES
62 RADIOLOGY AND NUCLEAR MEDICINE
BETA DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BETA-MINUS DECAY RADIOISOTOPES
BIOLOGICAL MATERIALS
BLOOD
BLOOD CELLS
BLOOD VESSELS
BODY
BODY FLUIDS
CARDIOVASCULAR SYSTEM
COMPARATIVE EVALUATIONS
COUNTING TECHNIQUES
DIAGNOSIS
DIAGNOSTIC TECHNIQUES
DIAGNOSTIC USES
DIGESTIVE SYSTEM
ERYTHROCYTES
GASTROINTESTINAL TRACT
HEMORRHAGE
HOURS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES
INTERMEDIATE MASS NUCLEI
ISOMERIC NUCLEI
ISOMERIC TRANSITION ISOTOPES
ISOTOPES
MATERIALS
MORTALITY
NUCLEI
ODD-EVEN NUCLEI
ORGANS
PATHOLOGICAL CHANGES
PATIENTS
RADIOISOTOPE SCANNING
RADIOISOTOPES
SCINTISCANNING
SYMPTOMS
TECHNETIUM 99
TECHNETIUM ISOTOPES
USES
YEARS LIVING RADIOISOTOPES