Psoas abscess localization by gallium scan in aplastic anemia

M. W. Oster, L. G. Gelrud, M. J. Lotz, G. P. Herzig and G. S. Johnston

Gallium 67 scanning is an effective method of detecting inflammatory lesions, especially abscesses. A 10-year-old boy with aplastic anemia and severe leukopenia and granulocytopenia had a psoas abscess diagnosed by gallium scan. The patient died with Candida spesis 18 days after bone marrow transplantation. At autopsy, a chronic psoas abscess with Candida was found. The gallium scan offers a clinically effective and noninvasive means of evaluating suspected infection in the granulocytopenic patient.