Aspiration Incidentally Detected by a Meckel Scintigraphy

Area of Science:

• Nuclear medicine
• Pediatric imaging
• Gastroenterology

Background:

• Meckel diverticulum is a common congenital anomaly that can cause gastrointestinal bleeding.
• Tc-99m pertechnetate scintigraphy is a standard diagnostic tool for identifying Meckel diverticulum with ectopic gastric mucosa.

Observation:

• A 5-year-old boy underwent Meckel scintigraphy to investigate bleeding.
• The study aimed to detect ectopic gastric mucosa within a suspected Meckel diverticulum.

Findings:

• The scintigraphy did not reveal focal uptake indicative of a Meckel diverticulum.
• Unexpectedly, radiotracer activity was observed in the tracheobronchial tree.

Implications:

• The findings suggest tracheobronchial aspiration of Tc-99m pertechnetate as a potential artifact in scintigraphy.
• This case underscores the importance of recognizing non-target radiotracer uptake for accurate diagnosis in pediatric nuclear medicine.