A 65-year-old man on maintenance hemodialysis for chronic renal failure and hepatitis C-related liver cirrhosis developed Vibrio vulnificus bacteremia after consuming raw seafood, including sashimi. Initial contrast-enhanced CT showed no obvious signs of inflammation, but due to persistent fever and bilateral lower-limb pain, gallium-67 scintigraphy was subsequently performed. SPECT/CT imaging showed multiple intramuscular abscesses, particularly in the gastrocnemius muscles. Follow-up CT confirmed abscess formation, prompting ultrasound-guided percutaneous drainage along with targeted antibiotic therapy. Gradual clinical improvement was observed. This case highlights the utility of gallium-67 SPECT/CT for detecting deep soft-tissue infections, allowing early diagnosis and timely intervention in high-risk patients.
Kotani et al. (Mon,) studied this question.
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