Leucocyte scanning--a valuable tool in diagnosing cerebral abscess--a survey

Intracerebral abscess is a diagnosis which occasionally can be difficult to establish by using CT scan only. This survey describes the usefulness of a supplementary indium-111 autologous granulocyte scan which may increase the diagnostic specificity in the differential diagnosis between neoplasm and intracranial abscess. Judging from the literature and our own investigations the application of the granulocyte scan is discussed with special reference to the possible pitfalls which can give both false negative and false positive results.