Eur Rev Med Pharmacol Sci 2001; 5 (4): 123-126

A new method for diagnosing fever of unknown origin (FUO) due to infection of muscular-skeletal system in elderly people: leukoscan Tc-99m labelled scintigraphy

D. Maugeri, A. Santangelo, S. Abbate, I. Rizza, A. Calanna, A. Lentini, M. Malaguarnera, S. Speciale, M. Testai’, P. Panebianco

Department of Senescent, Urological, and Neurological Sciences, Institute of Internal Medicine and Geriatrics, University of Catania (Italy)


Abstract. – Twenty patients affected by fever of unknown origin (FUO), due to a likely infection of the muscular or skeletal tissues, were studied by a Total Body scan with a monoclonal antibody fragment (Leukoscan) labelled with Tc-99m. The diagnostic procedure helped reach a final diagnosis in 8 out of the 20 patients because it identified the focus of the infection of the muscles or bones in joint proximity. Our data show that Leukoscan deserves to become a first line diagnostic procedure in the diagnostic algorithm for the evaluation of patients with FUO.

To cite this article

D. Maugeri, A. Santangelo, S. Abbate, I. Rizza, A. Calanna, A. Lentini, M. Malaguarnera, S. Speciale, M. Testai’, P. Panebianco
A new method for diagnosing fever of unknown origin (FUO) due to infection of muscular-skeletal system in elderly people: leukoscan Tc-99m labelled scintigraphy

Eur Rev Med Pharmacol Sci
Year: 2001
Vol. 5 - N. 4
Pages: 123-126