The role of radionuclide-labeled cells in the diagnosis of abdominal disease in children.

The use of radionuclide-labeled blood cells can provide diagnostic information concerning abdominal disease in children that may not be available by any other imaging method. The use of technetium-labeled red blood cells to identify bleeding sites in the gastrointestinal tract, to define mass lesions, or to localize the spleen offers a relatively quick and inexpensive method of evaluation. In the evaluation of Crohn's disease of the small bowel or involvement of the colon in inflammatory bowel disease, white blood cells labeled with either indium-111 or technetium-99m provide meaningful diagnostic information. There also may be a role for the use of labeled white cells in the evaluation of appendicitis. The individualized use of labeled blood cells provides the nuclear physician with a unique opportunity to contribute in a meaningful manner to the care of children using information that is critical in patient care.