Specific enhancement of intra-abdominal abscesses with perfluoroctylbromide for CT imaging.

Perfluoroctylbromide (PFOB), a radiopaque reticuloendothelial system contrast media for computed tomography, has been shown to accumulate in macrophages. In the current study PFOB was tested in rabbits as an abscess imaging agent. Two abscesses were induced in each of 24 rabbits, one in the liver and the other in the peritoneal cavity. CT of the rabbit abdomen was performed four days later, two days after the administration of 5 gm/Kg of PFOB to 12 of these rabbits. The average enhancement of the wall of liver abscesses was by 140 Hounsfield units (HU) relative to the enhanced liver and peritoneal abscesses by 135 HU relative to the control group. This enhancement was secondary to the intense accumulation of PFOB filled macrophages in the abscess wall. In those rabbits where the liver abscess ruptured, the edges of the peritoneal collections enhanced by 147 HU. Regions of inflammation prior to liquifaction enhanced considerably. These areas could not be detected in the animals not receiving PFOB. Though the liquified center of liver abscesses could be seen in the absence of PFOB, none of the peritoneal abscesses could be detected in the animals not receiving PFOB. In contradistinction, all peritoneal abscesses enhanced considerably following PFOB allowing their prospective localization. In conclusion, PFOB accumulates in abscess walls and areas of inflammation producing marked CT enhancement of liver and peritoneal abscess collections. This enhancement allowed the differentiation of peritoneal abscess collections from adjacent bowel.