Detection of gastrointestinal bleeding sites. Use of in vitro technetium Tc 99m-labeled RBCs

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Abstract
Sixteen patients clinically suspected of having gastrointestinal hemorrhage were studied by abdominal scintigraphy with RBCs (red blood cells) labeled in vitro with 99mTc. Ten of 11 actively bleeding patients had positive scintigrams, with bleeding localized to the duodenum in 1, ascending colon in 5, sigmoid colon in 6 and rectosigmoid colon in 1. Scintigraphic findings were corroborated by clinical, endoscopic, arteriographic and surgical findings. Retention of this blood-pool radiotracer in the vascular compartment allows noninvasive diagnosis of acute as well as slow or intermittent, bleeding for up to 24 h after i.v. administration.