[Radionuclide monitoring of gastrointestinal bleeding activity]

Radionuclide monitoring was done in 50 patients to assess gastrointestinal bleeding, activity and location. Monitoring with 99m-Tc-in vivo-labelled erythrocytes was performed as sequential scintigraphy in increments of 1-2 hours up to 62 hours. 23 patients without active GI bleeding were correctly identified. 27 patients showed pathologic activities in abdominal blood-pool scintigraphy. In 25 patients peristaltic movement of these activities were seen--in each case we correctly diagnosed active GI bleeding. In 2 patients the activity stayed for a longer period in the same location--one patient had a liver hemangioma, the other patient had an aneurysm of the superior mesenteric artery. The great impact of radionuclide monitoring on diagnostic and therapeutic management of gastrointestinal bleeding is emphasized.