Hank’s balanced salt solution: an alternative resuspension medium to label autologous leukocytes. Experience in inflammatory bowel disease

Abstract

In this work Hank's balanced salt solution (HBSS) has been used, as resuspension medium, instead of leukocyte poor plasma (LPP) to label autologous white blood cells in 28 patients with suspicion af active inflammatory bowel disease.Labelled cells were reinjected and anterior and caudo-craneal views were obtained at 30 min, 2 h and 6 h p.i. Regions of interest were outlined on liver, spleen, lung, bone marrow (spine), background and lesions and the organ/background activity ratios were calculated in all scans. Patients were classified into 2 groups: Group 1: LPP, 30 patients and Groups 2: HBSS, 28 patients. Labelling efficiency was higher in HBBS group (89.0 ± 3.2 %) than in the LPP group (6.5 ± 6.3%). Organ/background activity ratios were similar in both groups. Concerning diagnostic accuracy was similar at 30 min and 2 h but the false positive rate increased at 6 h p.i. in the HBSS group. HBSS seems to be a valid alternative as resuspension medium in the labeling of autologous leukocytes but leukocyte poor plasma seem to induce less leukocyte damage. Based on these results, in our center HBSS is the currently used medium to label leukocytes.