An 8-year-old boy presents with painless lower gastrointestinal bleeding. Colonoscopy shows a solitary lesion in the terminal ileum. A radionuclide scan using which agent would confirm ectopic gastric mucosa in a Meckel diverticulum?
- A Iodine-123 metaiodobenzylguanidine
- B Technetium-99m sulfur colloid
- C Technetium-99m pertechnetate ✓
- D Gallium-67 citrate
Correct answer: C. Technetium-99m pertechnetate
Explanation
Technetium-99m pertechnetate is taken up by mucus-secreting cells of gastric mucosa, so it localizes ectopic gastric epithelium within a Meckel diverticulum, producing uptake in the right lower quadrant synchronous with gastric activity. Sulfur colloid labels the reticuloendothelial system and is used for gastrointestinal bleeding localization, not ectopic mucosa. Gallium and MIBG serve infection imaging and neuroendocrine tumors respectively. Painless bleeding in a child from Meckel diverticulum is classically due to acid secretion causing adjacent ileal ulceration.
Reference: Sabiston Textbook of Surgery, 21st ed.
High-yield for: NEET PGINI-CETNExTFMGEUSMLEPLABMRCP
Written and medically reviewed by the StethoPrep medical team.