99mTc-HSA-D scintigraphy in the diagnosis of protein-losing gastroenteropathy due to secondary amyloidosis.

Secondary amyloidosis frequently involves the gastrointestinal tract and may result in ulceration, hemorrhage, and protein-losing enteropathy. We report a patient with severe hypoalbuminemia in whom endoscopy revealed widespread ulceration of the small intestine. The protein-losing site was detected by 99mTc-diethylene triamine pentaacetic acid human serum albumin (99mTc HSA-D) scintigraphy. This evidence suggests that the ulcers and mucosal lesions associated with amyloidosis contribute to abnormal protein loss from the gastrointestinal tract.