Arteriovenous fistula stent infection diagnosed with radiolabelled leucocyte scintigraphy

Infect Dis (Lond). 2015 Jul;47(7):510-4. doi: 10.3109/00365548.2014.1002108. Epub 2015 Mar 13.

Abstract

Infectious complications of haemodialysis in patients with arteriovenous fistula stent are rare. In addition, patients with low-grade infection are more difficult to diagnose. Here, we report the first case of low-grade infection of an arteriovenous fistula stent diagnosed using (99m)Tc-hexamethylpropylene amine oxime (HMPAO)-labelled leucocyte scintigraphy. A 62-year-old man with end-stage renal disease was referred for prolonged fever. We performed (99m)Tc-HMPAO-labelled leucocyte scintigraphy following a work-up according to fever of unknown origin. A focal uptake on the left forearm compatible with the arteriovenous fistula stent insertion site was shown, and the stent was removed. (99m)Tc-HMPAO-labelled leucocyte scintigraphy could be a suitable method for assessing vascular stent infection in low-grade fever.

Keywords: Arteriovenous fistula; hexamethylpropylene amine oxime; radionuclide imaging; stents.

Publication types

  • Case Reports

MeSH terms

  • Arteriovenous Fistula / diagnostic imaging*
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Middle Aged
  • Radionuclide Imaging
  • Radiopharmaceuticals / metabolism*
  • Renal Dialysis / adverse effects
  • Stents / adverse effects
  • Technetium Tc 99m Exametazime / metabolism*

Substances

  • Radiopharmaceuticals
  • Technetium Tc 99m Exametazime