Gamma-guided diagnostic peritoneal lavage for detection of bowel perforation.

Hypothesis: Bowel perforation can be diagnosed by detection of orally administered technetium Tc 99m sulfur colloid ((99m)Tc SC) in diagnostic peritoneal lavage (DPL) fluid using a handheld gamma-detection probe.

Design: A canine intestinal-injury model was used to test the hypothesis. The (99m)Tc SC (55.