[Present status of the nuclear medicine studies in infections and inflammatory processes in Spain]

The results of the survey carried out in our country during the present year on the nuclear medicine studies in infectious and inflammatory studies during 1999 are presented. They survey was sent to 89 centers with a nuclear medicine service, 45 of which were publicly owned and 44 of which were privately owned. A total of 32 centers (36%) replied to the survey. 51.1% (23 out of 45) of the public hospitals responded but only a 20.5% (9 out of 44) of the private ones did.A total of 70.92% (4,344) out of the 6,125 explorations were carried out to discard and infectious process and 29.07% (1,781) to discard inflammation. The most frequent indication was to discard infections resulting from bone prostheses (2,099 explorations accounting for 48.31% of the total infectious process), followed by bone infection or osteomyelitis (965 explorations, 22.21% of the total). Within the osteomyelitis cases, acute processes motivated the most frequent requests (60.31% of all osteomyelitis cases). Assessment of the scope and localization of the intestinal inflammatory disease was the most frequent request in the inflammation group. Concerning the radiopharmaceuticals used, 99mTc HMAPO or 111I marked-leukocytes were ranked first, these accounting for 47% of the cases. Gallium, used in 44% of all cases, was the second most frequently used, even though it continues to be the more commonly used radiopharmaceuticals for infectious processes.