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Atypical radionuclide scan appearance in cellulitis due to group A streptococcus
M C Fisher1, M A Gainey, M A Capitanio
1Department of Pediatrics, St. Christopher's Hospital for Children, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania 19133.
Clinical Nuclear Medicine
|May 1, 1988
Summary
Scintigraphy for cellulitis typically shows increased soft tissue activity. However, severe edema in children with Group A streptococcal cellulitis can cause false-negative imaging results.
Area of Science:
- Medical Imaging
- Pediatric Infectious Diseases
- Nuclear Medicine
Background:
- Cellulitis scintigraphy usually reveals diffuse soft tissue hyperactivity.
- Bone scintigraphy is typically normal in cellulitis cases.
Observation:
- Two pediatric patients with Group A streptococcal cellulitis presented with atypical scintigraphic findings.
- Radionuclide imaging did not show increased soft tissue activity in these cases.
Findings:
- The study observed false-negative scintigraphy in children with severe edema due to Group A streptococcal cellulitis.
- Marked edema at infection sites obscured typical scintigraphic signs of cellulitis.
Implications:
- This highlights the potential for false-negative results in pediatric cellulitis imaging.
- Severe edema can significantly impact the diagnostic accuracy of scintigraphy for soft tissue infections.