Scintigraphic diagnosis of protein-losing enteropathy secondary to amyloidosis.

Protein-losing enteropathy is an uncommon syndrome of excessive loss of protein via the gastrointestinal mucosa. 99mTc-dextran scintigraphy was performed on a 42-year-old woman with protein-losing enteropathy. She had secondary amyloidosis due to rheumatoid arthritis. Abnormal leakage of the radiotracer was observed in the mid-abdominal region suggesting the site of protein loss. It is concluded that 99mTc-dextran scintigraphy is useful as a noninvasive and simple test for the imaging and confirmation of diagnosis in protein-losing enteropathy.