Clinical value of immunoscintigraphy in the rectal carcinomas: immunoscintigraphy of rectal carcinomas.

Background/aim: The aim of this study was to evaluate the clinical reliability of the immunoscintigraphy with radiolabeled monoclonal antibodies for the detection of metastases and recurrences of rectal carcinomas.
Methodology: A total of 65 patients underwent immunoscintigraphy with radiolabeled monoclonal antibodies. Indication for that examination was suspicious rectal cancer or suspicious rectal cancer recurrence and/or metastases.
Results: The method proved to have 92.7% sensitivity, specificity 83.3%, positive predictive value 90.5%, negative predictive value 87.0% and accuracy 89.2%. There was a statistically significant relationship between immunoscintigraphy findings and rectoscopy findings (rs=0.415, p=0.013), as well as significant relationship between immunoscintigraphy findings and US findings (rs=0.332, p=0.001). Tumor marker levels were in positive correlation with findings of immunoscintigraphy (rs=0.845, p=0.001), especially raised CEA level (rs=0.816, p=0.004). Patients with higher CA19-9 level had higher Duke's stage (p=0.025).
Conclusions: We can conclude that immunoscintigraphy can be helpful in the detection of metastases and recurrences of colon carcinomas.