Technetium-99m-HMPAO-labeled leukocytes and technetium-99m-labeled human polyclonal immunoglobulin G in diagnosis of focal purulent disease.

To evaluate the usefulness of 99mTc-HMPAO-labeled leukocytes and 99mTc-labeled polyclonal human immunoglobulin G (Technescan HIG) in the diagnosis of focal purulent disease, 31 comparative scintigraphies were done in 30 patients with known or strongly suspected focal infection. Focal purulent disease was the final diagnosis in 19 patients. Technetium-99m-labeled leukocytes showed 16 true-positive, no false-positive, 11 true-negative and 3 false-negative findings. The corresponding figures for 99mTc-labeled HIG were 11, 2, 9 and 8. The sensitivity and specificity of imaging with labeled leukocytes were 84% and 100%, respectively, and with labeled HIG, 58% and 82%, respectively. The overall accuracy of the leukocyte scan was significantly better than that of the HIG scan (90% versus 67%, p < 0.001). Thus, if focal infection is suspected, scintigraphy with 99mTc-labeled leukocytes is the preferable method. No cases exhibited a better imaging result with 99mTc-HIG scintigraphy than with 99mTc-labeled leukocytes.