Objectives:
Aim of this study was to determine the effectiveness of labeled leukocyte scintigraphy in pulmonary infection of rabbits and effect of increasing the incubation duration in this efficiency.
Methods:
Five New Zelland white rabbits (5-6 month old, 2.5-3 kg) were subject of this study. The rabbit were divided into three groups (group 1: control, group 2: tracheal inoculation group, group 3: transthoracic inoculation group). The rabbits were inoculated by E. Coli administration one day prior to the scintigraphy in grup 2 and 3 rabbits. The labeled leucocytes scintigraphy was performed to all five rabbits. The images were evaluated by quantification (avarage counts in lungs). The quantitative values were compared by Paired Samples T test and p<0.05 considered significant.
Results:
The labeling efficiency was similar in all five rabbits. The avarage counts in the lungs of group 2 were significantly higher than in group 1 and 3. The second rabbit in the group 3 (which had prolonged waiting period in incubation with Tc-99m HMPAO) had avarage counts similar to group 1.
Conclusion:
The infection imaging by means of labeled leukocyte scintigraphy clearly demonstrates E. Coli pneumonia in rabbits when it is inoculated by transtracheal route and increasing the lenght of incubation with Tc-99m HMPAO with leukocyte do not benefit.
Keywords: Pneumonia,rabbits,labeled leukocyte,scintigraphy
