Cardiopulmonary Thromboembolism Detected by Tc-99m MH-1 Antifibrin Antibody

• Published in: Clinical nuclear medicine Vol. 22; no. 6; pp. 376 - 379
• Main Authors: LINE, BRUCE R, KEENAN, JAMES F, LUKASIEWICZ, ROBERTA L, DANSEREAU, RAYMOND N, TUBLIN, MITCHELL E, WILLIAMS, LINDA M, GARGAN, PAUL E
• Format: Journal Article
• Language: English
• Published: Philadelphia, PA Lippincott-Raven Publishers 01-06-1997; Hagerstown, MD Lippincott
• Subjects: Aged; Aged, 80 and over; Aorta, Thoracic - diagnostic imaging; Aortic Diseases - diagnostic imaging; Biological and medical sciences; Dyspnea - diagnostic imaging; Female; Heart Atria - diagnostic imaging; Heart Diseases - diagnostic imaging; Humans; Immunoglobulin Fab Fragments; Investigative techniques, diagnostic techniques (general aspects); Medical sciences; Organotechnetium Compounds; Pneumology; Pulmonary Embolism - diagnostic imaging; Pulmonary hypertension. Acute cor pulmonale. Pulmonary embolism. Pulmonary vascular diseases; Radioimmunodetection; Radionuclide investigations; Radiopharmaceuticals; Respiratory system; Thrombosis - diagnostic imaging; Tomography, X-Ray Computed; Ventilation-Perfusion Ratio; Whole-Body Counting; Radionuclide study; Human; Heart; Radiolabelling; Respiratory disease; Cardiovascular disease; Technetium; Monoclonal antibody; Scintigraphy; Thrombosis; Vascular disease; Pulmonary embolism; Case study; Fibrin; Etiology; Medical imagery; Female; Diagnosis; Elderly
• ISSN: 0363-9762; 1536-0229
• DOI: 10.1097/00003072-199706000-00006

A patient with shortness of breath had a high probability lung scan for pulmonary embolism, but no obvious embolic source. Whole-body scintigraphy using Tc-99m labeled Fab' antifibrin monoclonal antibody showed large central pulmonary emboli as well as tracer uptake in the right atrium and aortic arch. No lower extremity clot was detected. This case shows significant differences in the appearance of pulmonary embolism as assessed by direct clot and ventilation-perfusion scintigraphy. It shows the importance of the heart as the origin of pulmonary emboli and the utility of direct thrombus visualization.