Use of 99mTc-Sulesomab for the Diagnosis of Prosthesis Infection after Total Joint Arthroplasty

• Published in: Journal of international medical research 2007-07, Vol.35 (4), p.474-481
• Main Authors: Pakos, Ee, Fotopoulos, AD, Stafilas, KS, Gavriilidis, I, Boukarali, G Al, Tsiouris, S, Xenakis, TA
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• ISSN: 0300-0605; 1473-2300
• DOI: 10.1177/147323000703500406

This study aimed to evaluate the diagnostic efficacy of antigranulocyte scintigraphy using the antibody fragment 99mTc-sulesomab (LeukoScan®) for the diagnosis of prosthesis infection in patients with total hip or knee arthroplasty. The results from 19 patients with suspected total joint arthroplasty infection who had undergone a three-phase bone scan and a subsequent examination with 99mTc-sulesomab during a 1-year period were reviewed. Twelve patients were shown to have prosthesis infection on culture of aspirated synovial fluid or intra-operative samples. The overall sensitivity, specificity, positive and negative predictive values, and diagnostic accuracy for 99mTc-sulesomab were 75%, 86%, 90%, 66% and 79%, respectively, compared with 54%, 83%, 88%, 45% and 63%, respectively, for the three-phase bone scan. This study showed that 99mTc-sulesomab had good diagnostic value for the detection of prosthesis infection. The combination of 99mTc-sulesomab with other laboratory or imaging examinations may improve diagnostic performance in prosthesis infection and should be investigated further.