Clinical usefulness of 111In-oxine-labeled autologous lymphocytes in kidney-graft rejection.

A method of lymphocyte labeling with 111In-oxine was applied for the diagnosis of acute kidney-graft rejection. After the injection of labeled lymphocytes, scintigrams of the graft area, contralateral iliac fossa, and spleen were obtained. Indexes of activity were calculated. No patient without rejection (n = 3) showed lymphocyte graft deposition. Twenty-two patients with acute graft rejection and two patients with on abdominal-wall abscess over the graft area showed lymphocyte graft trapping. When acute graft rejection was present, index i (graft/contralateral iliac fossa) increased, and index c (spleen/graft) decreased. The improvement after the rejection crisis occurred parallel to the decrease in index i. Index c remained unchange regardless of rejection evolution. In summary, 111In-oxine-labeled lymphocytes may be used for the diagnosis of acute kidney-graft rejection and for evolving control.