Terminal ileal micro-perforation from an ingested fish bone incidentally diagnosed with 111In-leukocyte scintigraphy in an asymptomatic patient

Abstract

111In-leukocyte scintigraphy has generally been considered a sensitive diagnostic test for the evaluation of infectious or inflammatory processes in the abdomen due to a lack of normal physiologic bowel activity. Herein we present a case of a patient status post endovascular repair of an abdominal aortic aneurysm for which an 111In-leukocyte scan was ordered to assess for graft infection. Planar imaging revealed an abnormal focus of radiotracer activity in the right lower quadrant of the abdomen. A SPECT-CT obtained to further delineate the anatomic location of abnormal activity showed abnormal leukocyte activity localizing to the terminal ileum secondary to a micro-perforation from an ingested fishbone. This case underscores the principle that in the absence of known intra-abdominal pathology, 111In-leukocyte activity in the abdomen should always be considered abnormal, and that further evaluation with dedicated cross-sectional imaging should be performed to assist with the localization of abnormal activity.

Keywords

• Indium-111
• Leukocytes
• White blood cells
• Fish bone
• Perforation
• SPECT/CT