Positive Myocardial Uptake of Bone Scintigraphic Agents Associated with Cardiac Amyloidosis: Frequency of Positive Uptake Data Based on Daily Clinical Practice

Abstract

Objective: The bone scan plays an important role for detecting number of conditions relating to bones, including: bone cancer or bone metastasis, bone inflammation. Extraosseous uptake, in particular, myocardial uptake, was observed in some patients examined with the bone scans. Positive uptake of 99mTc-labeled bone radiotracers is associated with cardiac amyloidosis. However, the frequency and cause of positive cardiac 99mTc-MDP uptake have not been fully studied. In this regard, the aim of this study was to assess the frequency and characteristics of patients with high myocardi-al uptake of bone scintigraphy in daily clinical practice setting. Methods: We retrospectively analyzed 4180 bone scintigraphies performed in daily clinical practice during 7-years period. The intensity of the myocardial uptake was graded based on a visual scale ranging from 0 to 3 points. Score 0 indicates the absence of uptake. Score 1 defined uptake less than that of bone (referred to as the adjacent rib). Uptake similar to that of bone was classified score 2. Score 3 was defined as uptake greater than that of reference bone. Positive myocardial uptake included a visual score 2 or 3. Result: Positive 99mTc-MDP myocardial uptake occurred in 12 patients among 4180 patients (0.3%). 7 of 12 positive scan patients were consistent with amyloidosis confirmed by biopsy. In these patients, the mean age was 75.6 ± 5.2 years old. Ten cases showed biventricular uptake and 2 showed LV uptake only. Conclusion: Positive cardiac uptake of bone scintigraphic agents was present in 0.3% of bone scintigraphies in a clinical practice setting. This may be a sign of cardiac amyloidosis involvement which may give the presence of extraosseous bone tracer uptake its own importance and a new role.