Immunoscintigraphy of an inflammatory process in Crohn's disease with a technetium-99m-labeled fragment (MN3 Fab') and with an intact monoclonal anti-granulocyte antibody (Mab BW 250/183).

Abstract

A 70-year-old man had Crohns' disease since 1989. He was hospitalized because of abdominal pain with bloody and mucous diarrhea. Enteroscopy and CT showed an inflamed, ulcerous, and edematous colon and distal ileum. Before operation, anti-granulocyte immunoscintigraphy with intact monoclonal antibody (BW 250/183) was performed. Ten days later, scintigraphy using the fragmented antibody (MN3 Fab′) was done. On the scan, the intact Tc-99m-labeled antibody (BW 250/183) detected the inflamed intestine, whereas the fragmented Tc-99m-labeled antibody (MN3 Fab′) failed to detect the infected bowel. After an ileocecal resection, the patient recovered. A histologic examination revealed a chronic erosive bowel process in Crohn's disease.