The role of subtraction scintigraphy in improving diagnostic efficacy in lower gastrointestinal heamorrhage

Successful management of patients with acute lower gastrointestinal haemorrhage (LGIH) is less reliant on the therapy than on the early diagnosis and accurate localisation of the bleed site. Subtraction scintigraphy in Tc red blood cells (RBC) studies has the potential to improve detection and localisation of LGIH by removing background activity. Theoretically, this may lower minimum detectable bleeding rates and volumes allowing greater sensitivity for earlier detection of bleeding and more accurate localisation of the bleeding site.