Potential False-Positive Meckel's Scan Caused by Umbilical Ornamentation

Clin Nucl Med. 2020 Sep;45(9):735-737. doi: 10.1097/RLU.0000000000003211.

Abstract

An 18-year-old woman presented to the emergency department for bloody stools. A CT scan of the abdomen ruled out intussusception. Meckel's scan was ordered to rule for Meckel's diverticulum before upper endoscopy and colonoscopy. After proper pretreatment with H2 blocker, Tc-pertechnetate Meckel's scan was performed. Dynamic planar imaging revealed a focus of gradual increase in uptake in midabdomen suggestive of Meckel's diverticulum. A SPECT/CT was done to localize the focus of uptake. Surprisingly, the focus of uptake localized to the periumbilical region on SPECT/CT images. The cause of uptake could be due to local inflammation from umbilical ornamentation.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • False Positive Reactions
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Meckel Diverticulum / diagnostic imaging*
  • Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography Computed Tomography*
  • Umbilicus / diagnostic imaging*