Gallium-67 scintigraphy in children with chronic granulomatous disease

Gallium-67 has been extensively used to diagnose and localize adult and pediatric inflammatory, infectious and malignant disease. Its mechanism of localizing in pathologic foci, although the subject of numerous studies both in vitro and in vivo, has not been clearly understood yet. The presence of normal polymorphonuclear leukocytes has been reported to be important in the accumulation of the tracer in inflammatory sites. We reviewed our experience with Gallium scintigraphy in three children with chronic granulomatous disease, an entity characterized by defective neutrophils and recurrent infection. Radiogallium was found to localize in inflammation in these patients. Hematologic disorders with specific structural or biochemical defects in their polymorphonuclear leukocytes may provide important information as to how these cells contribute to the accumulation of Gallium-67 in inflammation.