Indium-labelled WBC scan
Radioactive abscess scan; Abscess scan; Indium scan; Indium-labeled white blood cell scan; WBC scanA radioactive scan detects abscesses or infections in the body by using a radioactive material. An abscess occurs when pus collects due to an infection.
Abscess
An abscess is a collection of pus in any part of the body. In most cases, the area around an abscess is swollen and inflamed.
Read Article Now Book Mark ArticleHow the Test is Performed
Blood is drawn from a vein, most often on the inside of the elbow or the back of the hand.
- The site is cleaned with germ-killing medicine (antiseptic).
- The health care provider wraps an elastic band around the upper arm to apply pressure to the area and make the vein swell with blood.
- Next, the provider gently inserts a needle into the vein. The blood collects into an airtight vial or tube attached to the needle.
- The elastic band is removed from your arm.
- The puncture site is covered to stop any bleeding.
The blood sample is then sent to a lab. There the white blood cells are tagged with a radioactive substance (radioisotope) called indium. The cells are then injected back into a vein through another needle stick.
Radioisotope
A positron emission tomography (PET) scan is a type of imaging test. It uses a radioactive substance called a tracer to look for disease in the body...
Read Article Now Book Mark ArticleYou will need to return to the office 6 to 24 hours later. At that time, you will have a nuclear scan to see if white blood cells have gathered in areas of your body where they would normally not be located.
Nuclear scan
A positron emission tomography (PET) scan is a type of imaging test. It uses a radioactive substance called a tracer to look for disease in the body...
Read Article Now Book Mark ArticleHow to Prepare for the Test
Most of the time you do not need special preparation. You will need to sign a consent form.
For the test, you will need to wear a hospital gown or loose clothing. You will need to take off all jewelry.
Tell your provider if you are pregnant. This procedure is NOT recommended if you are pregnant or trying to become pregnant. Women of childbearing age (before menopause) should use some form of birth control after this procedure.
Tell your provider if you have or had any of the following medical conditions, procedures, or treatments, as they can interfere with test results:
- Gallium (Ga) scan within the past month
Gallium (Ga) scan
A gallium scan is a test to look for swelling (inflammation), infection, or cancer in the body. It uses a radioactive material called gallium and is...
Read Article Now Book Mark Article - Hemodialysis
Hemodialysis
Dialysis treats end-stage kidney failure. It removes harmful substances from the blood when the kidneys cannot. This article focuses on peritoneal d...
Read Article Now Book Mark Article - Hyperglycemia
Hyperglycemia
A blood sugar test measures the amount of a sugar called glucose in a sample of your blood. Glucose is a major source of energy for most cells of the...
Read Article Now Book Mark Article - Long-term antibiotic therapy
- Steroid therapy
- Total parenteral nutrition (through an IV)
How the Test will Feel
Some people feel a little pain when the needle is inserted to draw blood. Others feel only a prick or sting. Afterward, there may be some throbbing.
The nuclear medicine scan is painless. It may be a little uncomfortable to lie flat and still on the scanning table. This most often takes about an hour.
Why the Test is Performed
The test is rarely used today. In some cases, it may be helpful when doctors cannot localize an infection. The most common reason it is used is to look for a bone infection called osteomyelitis.
It is also used to look for an abscess that may form after surgery or on its own. Symptoms of an abscess depend on where it is found, but may include:
- Fever that has lasted a few weeks without an explanation
- Not feeling well (malaise)
- Pain
Other imaging tests such as an ultrasound or CT scan are often done first.
Ultrasound
Ultrasound uses high-frequency sound waves to make images of organs and structures inside the body.
Read Article Now Book Mark ArticleCT scan
A computed tomography (CT) scan is an imaging method that uses x-rays to create pictures of cross-sections of the body. Related tests include:Abdomin...
Read Article Now Book Mark ArticleNormal Results
Normal findings would show no abnormal gathering of white blood cells.
What Abnormal Results Mean
A gathering of white blood cells outside of the normal areas is a sign of either an abscess or other type of inflammatory process.
Abnormal results may include:
- Bone infection
- Abdominal abscess
Abdominal abscess
An abdominal abscess is a pocket of infected fluid and pus located inside the belly (abdominal cavity). This type of abscess can be located near or ...
Read Article Now Book Mark Article - Anorectal abscess
Anorectal abscess
An anorectal abscess is a collection of pus in the area of the anus and rectum.
Read Article Now Book Mark Article - Epidural abscess
Epidural abscess
An epidural abscess is a collection of pus (infected material) and germs between the outer covering of the brain and spinal cord and the bones of the...
Read Article Now Book Mark Article - Peritonsillar abscess
Peritonsillar abscess
Peritonsillar abscess is a collection of infected material in the area around the tonsils.
Read Article Now Book Mark Article - Pyogenic liver abscess
Pyogenic liver abscess
Pyogenic liver abscess is a pus-filled pocket of fluid within the liver. Pyogenic means "with pus".
Read Article Now Book Mark Article - Skin abscess
- Tooth abscess
Tooth abscess
A tooth abscess is a pocket of pus caused by a bacterial infection.
Read Article Now Book Mark Article
Risks
The risks of this test include:
- Some bruising may occur at the site of injection.
- There is always a slight chance of infection when the skin is broken.
- There is low-level radiation exposure.
The test is controlled so that you get only the smallest amount of radiation exposure needed to produce the image.
Pregnant women and children are more sensitive to the risks of radiation.
References
Chacko AK, Shah RB. Emergency nuclear radiology. In: Soto JA, Lucey BC, eds. Emergency Radiology: The Requisites. 2nd ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2017:chap 12.
Cleveland KB. General principles of infection. In: Azar FM, Beaty JH, Canale ST, eds. Campbell's Operative Orthopaedics. 14th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2021:chap 20.
Matteson EL, Osmon DR. Infections of bursae, joints, and bones. In: Goldman L, Schafer AI, eds. Goldman-Cecil Medicine. 26th ed. Philadelphia, PA: Elsevier; 2020:chap 256.
Review Date: 7/5/2022
Reviewed By: Jason Levy, MD, FSIR, Northside Radiology Associates, Atlanta, GA. Also reviewed by David C. Dugdale, MD, Medical Director, Brenda Conaway, Editorial Director, and the A.D.A.M. Editorial team.