Scintigraphic Small Intestinal Transit Time and Defaecography in Patients with J-Pouch

Objective methods for examination of pouch function are warranted for a better understanding of the functional result and treatment of dysfunction. The objective of this study was to evaluate the results of scintigraphic intestinal transit time and defaecography compared to the results of pouch function, mucosal condition and a questionnaire on quality of life (QoL). This cross-sectional study included 21 patients. Scintigraphic transit time and defaecography was determined with the use of Tc-99m. Pouch function was assessed by number of bowel movements, pouch volume, and continence. Pouch mucosal condition was evaluated by endoscopy and histology. Median transit time was 189 min (105–365). Median ejection fraction at defaecography (EF) was 49% (3–77) and 62% (17–98) after first and second defecation. Median pouch volume was 223 mL (100–360). A median daily stool frequency of nine (4–25) was reported and three (14%) patients suffered from daytime incontinence. No patients had symptomatic or endoscopic pouchitis; however, the histology showed unspecific inflammation in 19 (90%) patients. There was no correlation between transit time, evacuation fraction (EF) and pouch function in univariate analysis. However, we found a high body mass index (BMI) and a low bowel movement frequency to be associated with a longer transit time by multivariate analysis. Scintigraphic determination of transit time and defaecography are feasible methods in patients with ileal pouch anal anastomosis, but the clinical relevance is yet doubtful

Quantitative 3D scintigraphy shows increased muscular uptake of pyrophosphate in idiopathic inflammatory myopathy

Abstract Background Nuclear imaging is increasingly being used in the diagnostic work-up of idiopathic inflammatory myopathy (IIM). Increased muscular uptake of technetium-99m-pyrophosphate (99mTc-PYP) has hitherto been assessed qualitatively by planar scintigraphy. We set out to perform quantitative tomographic scintigraphy in IIM. Results Ninety IIM patients and 48 control subjects underwent 99mTc-PYP single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT)/CT of the upper and lower body. Scans were evaluated visually by an intensity score (1–4) and quantitatively by the mean standardized uptake value (SUVmean) in thigh muscles after semi-automated segmentation of these. Furthermore, a SUVmean gradient down along the thighs was determined by linear regression of the slice-by-slice activity. Interobserver analyses were performed on qualitative evaluations. Compared to controls, patients more often had a high intensity score (p < 0.0001), but interobserver analyses revealed only moderate agreement. The thigh muscular 99mTc-PYP activity (SUVmean) was 60% higher in patients than in controls, p < 0.0001, albeit with a wide range. There was an activity gradient down the thigh muscle, the proximal tracer uptake being highest, and this gradient was steeper in patients than in controls; the activity decreased by 0.00024 and 0.00010 SUVmean mm−1, respectively, along the thighs. Conclusions The muscular uptake of 99mTc-PYP was significantly higher in patients than in healthy controls by qualitative and quantitative assessment. The tracer uptake was higher in the proximal than in the distal part of the thigh muscle, and SUVmean gradients differed between groups. Hence, tomographic nuclear imaging allowing for quantification of the 99mTc-PYP uptake might contribute to the diagnosis of IIM, and SPECT/CT of the lower body might suffice