Colovesical fistula demonstrated on renal cortical scintigraphy

Clin Nucl Med. 2012 Nov;37(11):1112-4. doi: 10.1097/RLU.0b013e31826c0d27.

Abstract

A 70-year-old man with a history of weight loss, changes in bowel habits, and hematochezia had rectal adenocarcinoma. He was palliated with diverting colostomy, followed by radiochemotherapy. Bilateral hydronephrosis was found incidentally on lower abdominal CT scan. He underwent 99mTc dimercaptosuccinic acid scan prior to percutaneous nephrostomy tube placement. Apart from the renal cortex, scintigraphy showed activity in the ascending colon continuous to the activity of the bladder. This indicated urine extravasation on account of a colovesical fistula, complicating postoperative radiation treatment. Here we highlight the contribution of renal cortical scintigraphy in the detection of colovesical fistulas.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Aged
  • Humans
  • Intestinal Fistula / diagnostic imaging*
  • Kidney Cortex / diagnostic imaging*
  • Male
  • Radionuclide Imaging
  • Technetium Tc 99m Dimercaptosuccinic Acid
  • Tomography, X-Ray Computed
  • Ultrasonography

Substances

  • Technetium Tc 99m Dimercaptosuccinic Acid