Abstract
This retrospective study assessed the effect of the addition of SPECT/CT imaging on the diagnostic accuracy of labeled leukocyte scintigraphy. Leukocyte scans of 134 patients performed between December 2005 and December 2009 were reviewed. All patients underwent whole-body planar and SPECT/CT imaging with either (111)In-oxine- or Tc-99m-hexamethylpropylene amine oxime (HMPAO)-labeled leukocytes. Leukocyte imaging identified a total of 221 lesions. Based on additional diagnostic tests and clinical follow-up, a final diagnosis was established in 115 patients. A total of 113 focal lesions with an established final diagnosis were detected on imaging in bone (n = 43), soft-tissues (n = 34), vascular grafts (n = 19), and other surgical implants (n = 17), whereas 26 scans resulted negative. Overall, leukocyte scanning including SPECT/CT yielded sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values of 87.5%, 85.3%, 83.6%, and 88.9%, respectively. As compared to planar imaging and SPECT, SPECT/CT imaging significantly increased the number of correctly identified lesion locations and improved overall reader confidence in 77 (68%) and 71 (63%) of 113 focal lesions, respectively (P < 0.001). Significant differences in scan accuracy were neither observed between In-oxine- or Tc-99m-hexamethylpropylene amine oxime-labeled leukocyte studies, nor between scans obtained with or without antibiotic treatment. Hybrid SPECT/CT leukocyte imaging has incremental value over planar imaging with SPECT because of improved diagnostic accuracy of lesion identification and reader confidence.
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Disclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.