Nonvisualization of sterile surgical incisions with indium-111 labeled leukocytes.

The localization of In-111 labeled leukocytes (WBCs) in recent surgical incisions was studied in 18 patients. In-111 WBC images correlated well with culture results and clinical findings. No accumulation of In-111 WBCs was detected at the site of noninfected incisions in nine patients. In-111 WBCs did accumulate at incision sites in nine patients with infected surgical incisions. These results indicate that In-111 WBC study can accurately distinguish between normal healing and infection of recent surgical incisions.