Abstract

To determine if scintigraphy with Tc-99m sulfur colloid can be used to detect perigraft flow after stent-graft repair of abdominal aortic aneurysm (AAA).Twenty-three men and two women aged 56-84 years (mean 71 years) underwent endoluminal AAA repair as part of the EVT Phase II trial [EVT = Endovascular Technologies (Menlo Park, CA, USA)]. Aneurysm size averaged 5.4 cm (range 3-8 cm). Sixteen bifurcated, seven tube, and two aorto-uniiliac grafts were placed. Two days after stent-graft placement, patients underwent both contrast-enhanced computed tomography (CT), including delayed views, and Tc-99m sulfur colloid scintigraphy.Perigraft flow was found in only one patient at completion of angiography. Four additional patients had perigraft flow, discovered during their postoperative follow-up CT. Four patients had leaks at an attachment site and one had retrograde branch flow. Tc-99m sulfur colloid scintigraphy failed to diagnose any of the five leaks prospectively. In two of these patients, however, some abnormal paraaortic activity was noted in retrospect.Tc-99m sulfur colloid scintigraphy was unable to demonstrate endoleak with either rapid flow (attachment site leak) or slow filling (branch flow).

View details for Web of Science ID 000083778500001

View details for PubMedID 10556401