111In-leukocyte imaging: intrasplenic abscesses

Area of Science:

• Nuclear medicine
• Diagnostic imaging
• Infectious disease diagnostics

Background:

• Elevated white blood cell count post-mitral valve replacement necessitates investigation for infection.
• Nuclear imaging plays a crucial role in localizing occult infections.

Observation:

• A 52-year-old female patient underwent indium-111 (¹¹¹In) white-cell scintigraphy.
• A concurrent technetium-99m (⁹⁹ᵐTc) tin colloid scan was performed for anatomical correlation.
• Subtraction imaging was utilized to differentiate between normal marrow uptake and abnormal accumulation.

Findings:

• The subtraction imaging revealed two focal areas of ¹¹¹In-labeled white-cell accumulation within the spleen.
• These findings were highly suggestive of splenic abscesses.

Implications:

• This case highlights the utility of labeled white-cell scintigraphy in diagnosing splenic abscesses in the context of cardiac surgery complications.
• Accurate diagnosis via nuclear imaging can guide appropriate clinical management and potentially improve patient outcomes.