Abdominal abscess detection: gallium, 111In-, and 99mTc-labeled leukocytes, and polyclonal and monoclonal antibodies.

Computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) are excellent modalities for imaging patients with localizing signs of an intra-abdominal abscess. However, radionuclide techniques have an advantage over CT and MRI because they can evaluate the entire body for infection. In addition, radionuclides can noninvasively differentiate infection and inflammation from benign fluid collections. Radiopharmaceuticals available for imaging abdominal infection include gallium-67 citrate, indium-111, and technetium-99m-labeled leukocytes, and radiolabeled whole antibodies. The use of these radiopharmaceuticals for abdominal imaging is dependent on their biodistribution and mechanism of abscess localization.