99mTc-Dextran Lymphoscintigraphy SPECT/CT Unveils the Hidden Leakage Site in Recurrent Chylothoraxes.

Xiaotian Xia, Fuqiang Shao, Fan Hu, Yong He, Wei Cao

The Annals of thoracic surgery 2020 Dec

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Chylothorax is defined as the accumulation of chyle in the pleural space, mainly by damaging to the thoracic duct. 99mTc-Dextran is a relatively new tracer for lymphoscintigraphy. A 40-year-old woman had recurrent chylothoraxes after thymoma resection and ligation of the thoracic duct owing to intraoperative suspected thoracic duct injury. She underwent lymphoscintigraphies using 99mTc-sulfur colloid and 99mTc-dextran, respectively, to identify the possible leakage site of the thoracic duct. The images showed increased 99mTc-dextran but unimpressive 99mTc-sulfur colloid activity at the leakage site. Based on the results, this patient received surgery anastomosing the thoracic duct and the azygos vein. Copyright © 2020 The Society of Thoracic Surgeons. Published by Elsevier Inc. All rights reserved.

Citation

Xiaotian Xia, Fuqiang Shao, Fan Hu, Yong He, Wei Cao. 99mTc-Dextran Lymphoscintigraphy SPECT/CT Unveils the Hidden Leakage Site in Recurrent Chylothoraxes. The Annals of thoracic surgery. 2020 Dec;110(6):e465-e467