[Port visualization before intraperitoneal chemotherapy: scintigraphy or angiography?]

For assessing the functioning of intraperitoneal port-catheter systems prior to intraperitoneal chemotherapy, scintigraphy/SPECT and subtraction-angiography were compared. The patient under scrutiny had three port-catheter systems. Two of the three ports were functioning well. However, one port did not function. Via scintigraphy with 99m-Tc-nanocolloid this defective port was detected, but the cause was identified only by angiography. By the angiographic technique, a leakage near the port chamber caused by dislocation of the catheter could be verified. SPECT is a more useful method than angiography, since it shows very clearly intraperitoneal distribution by the possibility of reconstructing various slices. In conclusion, both techniques, the scintigraphic and the angiographic one, complement each other well.