Three-phase Bone Imaging Research Articles

Analysis of whole-body bone scintigraphy and SPECT/CT imaging in osteoid osteoma

Objective To analyze features of osteoid osteoma on whole-body bone scan (WBS) and SPECT/CT imaging. Methods From January 2010 to December 2018, 70 patients (50 males, 20 females, age: 4-66 years) with osteoid osteoma confirmed by pathology were enrolled from the Affiliated Hospital of Southwest Medical University. All patients underwent WBS and SPECT/CT imaging and imaging features were retrospectively analyzed. Results A total of 70 lesions were found by WBS combined with SPECT/CT imaging, and 26 lesions (37.1%, 26/70) were found in the femur and 25 lesions (35.7%, 25/70) in the tibia. The radioactive ratio of target lesion to non-target lesion (T/NT) was 3.7±1.2 in 56 patients who underwent three-phase bone imaging. WBS showed that 48 lesions (68.6%, 48/70) were round (or nearly round), 21 lesions (30%, 21/70) were spindle-shaped, and 1 lesion (1.4%, 1/70) was irregular-shaped, while SPECT/CT imaging showed that 69 lesions (98.6%, 69/70) were round (or round) and 1 lesion (1.4%, 1/70) was irregular-shaped. The double-density sign was found in 48 lesions (68.6%, 48/70) by WBS and in 59 lesions (84.3%, 59/70) by SPECT/CT imaging. SPECT/CT imaging detected nidus in 59 lesions (84.3%, 59/70) and calcification or ossification ( target sign ) in 27 lesions (38.6%, 27/70). Conclusion The typical features of osteoid osteoma on WBS and SPECT/CT imaging include double density sign , nidus and target sign , which contribute to the diagnosis of osteoid osteoma. Key words: Osteoma, osteoid; Radionuclide imaging; Tomography, emission-computed, single-photon; Tomography, X-ray computed; Technetium Tc 99m medronate

Experimental studies on treatment of femoral neckf racture by unproved internal fixation

Objective To observe the therapeutic effect of treating femoral neck fracture after improved the fixation methods. Methods The bilateral femoral neck fractures model of 18 goats were resulted by operation. The experimental side was fixed using a modified method, and the control side was fixed using the traditional internal fixation techniques. The three-phase radionuclide bone imaging examination was performed 5 times in the pre- and 4,6,8,12 weeks after operation. The femoral head and neck of the goats which were killed in the 4,8,12 weeks after operation were observated by histology. And the treatment effect of femoral neck fractures with modified fixation was evaluated through X-ray examination. Results(1) Blood flow and pool curve showed the blood flow in the artery and the vein of the experimental side was better than that of the control side. Radionuclide bone imaging appear the femoral head blood flow and me-tabolization rate of the experimental side was higher than that of the control side. In the 4th,6thweek after the operation,the bone tissue repaired process was quickly in the experimental side. (2) Histology observation results show that the vascular remodeling and woven bone formation in the experiment side was more rapid than thatof the control side. The clearance of necrosis bone chips in the experiment sidewas accelerated. Conclusion The modified fixation method which in the basis of increasing the stability reduced the intramedullary pressure of femoral neck and protected the residual blood supply, which was conducive to fracture healing, the early reconstruction of femoral head blood supply and promoting bone tissue repair. Key words: Femoral neck fracture; Healing; Femoral head necrosis; Internal fixation; Improvement

Radionuclide Imaging of Musculoskeletal Infection: Conventional Agents

The diagnosis of musculoskeletal infection can be clinically challenging, and radionuclide imaging is often performed as part of the diagnostic workup. Conventional studies include bone scan, gallium imaging, and labeled leukocyte imaging. No single test is equally efficacious in all situations, and thus the procedure(s) performed should be optimized for the individual patient. Three-phase bone imaging, readily available and relatively inexpensive, is very accurate in unviolated bone. In the setting of underlying osseous abnormalities, however, the specificity of the test decreases. Four-phase bone, sequential bone/gallium, and labeled leukocyte imaging all have been used in an effort to enhance specificity. Labeled leukocyte imaging is the radionuclide procedure of choice for diagnosing so-called complicating osteomyelitis such as infected joint prostheses, diabetic pedal osteomyelitis, and infection of the neuropathic joint. To maximize the accuracy of the study, complementary bone marrow imaging often must be performed. Labeled leukocyte imaging is of limited value in spinal osteomyelitis, however, because this entity often presents as a nonspecific photopenic defect on white cell studies. The conventional radionuclide study for evaluating spinal osteomyelitis is gallium imaging, which should be performed regardless of the findings on a contemporaneous bone scan. The reasons for this are as follows: Gallium improves the specificity of the bone scan; gallium detects accompanying soft tissue infection, whereas the bone scan does not, and gallium may be more sensitive than the bone scan in elderly patients.

Radionuclide imaging of musculoskeletal infection

Radionuclide imaging studies are routinely used to evaluate patients suspected of having musculoskeletal infection. Three-phase bone imaging is readily available, relatively inexpensive, and very accurate in the setting of otherwise normal bone. Labeled leukocyte imaging should be used in cases of "complicating osteomyelitis" such as prosthetic joint infection. This test also is useful in clinically unsuspected diabetic pedal osteomyelitis as well as in the neuropathic joint. It is often necessary, however, to perform complementary bone marrow imaging, to maximize the accuracy of labeled leukocyte imaging. In contrast to other regions in the skeleton, labeled leukocyte imaging is not useful for diagnosing spinal osteomyelitis. At the moment, gallium is the preferred radionuclide procedure for this condition and is a useful adjunct to magnetic resonance imaging. FDG-PET likely will play an important role in the evaluation of musculoskeletal infection, especially spinal osteomyelitis, and may replace gallium imaging for this purpose.

Imaging of musculoskeletal infections

Imaging procedures are routinely used to evaluate patients suspected of having musculoskeletal infection. Radiographs should be performed whenever musculoskeletal infection is suspected. Even when not diagnostic, radiographs are useful. They provide an anatomic overview of the region of interest, including pre-existing conditions that could influence the selection and interpretation of subsequent procedures. Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is sensitive, provides superb anatomic detail, does not use ionizing radiation, and is rapidly completed. This technique is especially valuable for septic arthritis, spinal osteomyelitis, and diabetic foot infections. Among the radionuclide procedures, three-phase bone imaging is readily available, and very accurate in unviolated bone. Labeled leukocyte imaging should be used in cases of 'complicating osteomyelitis' such as prosthetic joint infections. This test is also useful in unsuspected diabetic pedal osteomyelitis and the neuropathic joint. Gallium imaging is a useful adjunct to MIR in spinal infection. 18F-2-fluoro-2-deoxy-D-glucose positron emission tomography (FDG-PET) will likely play an important role, especially in the evaluation of spinal infection.

Radionuclide three-phase whole-body bone imaging.

To describe the radionuclide three-phase whole-body bone imaging (TPWBBI) technique and discuss the usefulness of its application. TPWBBI was performed after a single intravenous injection of 555 to 925 MBq (15 to 25 mCi) Tc-99m MDP. Whole-body arterial flow (phase one) followed by blood-pool and tissue perfusion (phase two) images were obtained with the moving detector head speed set at 150 cm/minute and 40 cm/minute, respectively. Conventional whole-body static bone images (phase three) were obtained 3 hours later. When 542 consecutive TPWBBI results were reviewed, 394 (166 extraskeletal and 228 skeletal) abnormalities were detected during phases one and two. The 166 extraosseous lesions included vascular diseases: abdominal aortic aneurysms and peripheral vascular diseases and renal abnormalities, liver abnormalities, ascites, and pleural effusions. Many of these were incidentally detected clinically significant findings and would not have been identified on conventional static bone images. It helps to differentiate among acute and chronic fractures, active and inactive inflammatory diseases such as arthritis or osteomyelitis, and Paget's disease. With a single injection of Tc-99m MDP, whole-body images obtained in the arterial phase, the blood-pool and tissue perfusion phase, and the static bone phase can identify many clinically significant skeletal and soft tissue abnormalities. TPWBBI can differentiate between active and inactive phases of different disease processes and thereby provide a diagnosis that is more specific than a conventional single-phase bone scan. It may be applicable as a tool for nuclear physical examination.

A Hypervascular Ossifying Fibroma of the Tibia on Tc-99m MDP Three-Phase Bone Scintigraphy

Ossifying fibroma of the long bones is a rare fibro-osseous lesion that appears to originate from the cortex of either the tibia or fibula in children. Ossifying fibroma has a well-vascularized fibrous stroma with trabeculae of new bone. However, three-phase bone imaging in ossifying fibroma has not been reported. The authors report a case of a hypervascular ossifying fibroma of the tibia revealed by Tc-99m MDP three-phase bone scintigraphy.

Orthopedic pathology of the lower extremities: Scintigraphic evaluation in the thigh, knee, and leg

Radionuclide imaging (RI) of the osseous and nonosseous structures of the thigh, knee, and leg provide important diagnostic and prognostic information upon which the orthopedic surgeon can base treatment planning and management decisions. 99mTc-MDP scintigraphy is essential in overuse injuries such as stress fractures and shin splints. RI is important in assessing complications of trauma. It is the only imaging modality able to assess the magnitude of physeal stimulus caused by femoral fractures and to predict a favorable or unfavorable outcome of leg length by semiquantitative analysis; SPECT imaging can detect and locate decreased metabolism associated with posttraumatic closure of the physeal plate to predict growth arrest and deformities. Three-phase bone imaging (TPBI) is essential to differentiate hypervascular from avascular nonunions and follow delayed union. In osteonecrosis of the knee, bone scintigraphy precedes radiography changes even in stage l of the disease. 99mTc-MDP and 99mTc-HIG imaging are powerful tools in determining the outcomes of osteoarthritis and rheumatoid arthritis, respectively. Bone scintigraphy can also detect chronic ligament and acute and chronic meniscal lesions. The combined use of TPBI, gallium-67 citrate imaging, and indium-111 or 99mTc-HMPAO labeled leukocytes is important to diagnose and differentiate acute from chronic osteomyelitis, and to detect infected knee prostheses. Thallium-201 chloride imaging and 99mTc-sestamibi imaging have an important role in the assessment of tumor response to chemotherapy and in the quantification of tumor viability.

Soft-tissue involvement by adenocarcinoma imaged during bone scintigraphy.

A large and well-delineated photopenic area in extraskeletal tissue seen on Tc-99m MDP three-phase bone imaging. This scintigraphic lesion of the left thigh proved to be a metastasis of lung adenocarcinoma.

Tc-99m stannous colloid-labeled leukocyte scintigraphy in the evaluation of the painful arthroplasty.

The aim of this study was to evaluate the utility of scintigraphy using leukocytes labeled with Tc-99m stannous colloid in the assessment of painful arthroplasties. The results of three-phase bone scintigraphy and imaging with Tc-99m-labeled leukocytes in 40 patients with painful joint prostheses, requiring the exclusion of infection are reported. Results were compared with microbiologic culture and/or long-term clinical review. Bone scintigraphy had a sensitivity of 100%, a specificity of 64%, and a diagnostic accuracy of 73% in detecting prosthetic infection. Tc-99m-labeled leukocytes yielded a sensitivity of 70%, a specificity of 100%, and a diagnostic accuracy of 93%. Leukocyte scintigraphy improves the specificity of bone scintigraphy in the assessment of the painful prosthetic joint. A positive study is highly suggestive of infection and warrants appropriate treatment.

The Three-Phase Bone Scan and Exercise Induced Lower-Leg Pain

The three-phase bone scan is finding increasing utility in acute and chronic pain syndromes in sports medicine settings. This useful technique may have significant clinical application in assessing the increasing numbers of patients with exercise induced lower leg or medial tibial pain. The authors present a case of exertional lower leg pain or medial tibial pain in which three-phase bone imaging exhibited a dramatic increase in early flow after a simple derived exercise stress. The three-phase bone scan should play a key role in the assessment of exercise pain, and may be enhanced by the addition of simple exercise intervention.

Diagnosis of Osteomyelitis

Thirty-seven patients with suspected osteomyelitis in conjunction with diabetic gangrene (N = 14, group 1), arthroplasty (N = 8, group 2), and various diseases (N = 15, group 3) were examined. Three-phase bone scans, followed by granulocyte imaging using I-123 labeled anti-NCA 95 monoclonal antibodies, were performed to evaluate and compare the diagnostic accuracy of both procedures. Final diagnosis was established histologically, bacteriologically, or by both methods either through the clinical course or by long-term follow-up in patients in group 1. Osteomyelitis was proven in 17 out of the 37 patients. Bone and antigranulocyte imaging demonstrated positive results in all patients with osteomyelitis (sensitivity 100% for each method). No signs of skeletal infection were found in 20 patients. Fifteen of these patients had no antigranulocyte antibody accumulation, resulting in 75% specificity. Ten patients without infection had normal three-phase bone imaging results (specificity 50%). Antigranulocyte imaging results were negative in 6 out of 10 patients without osteomyelitis in groups 2 and 3 whose bone imaging results were questionable. However, because of identical bone and granulocyte imaging results, no increase of diagnostic accuracy could be obtained by additional granulocyte imaging in patients with diabetic gangrene. Final diagnoses of false-positive antigranulocyte studies were aseptic osteonecrosis (N = 2), loosening of prostheses, gouty arthritis, and pain after arthrolysis. In summary, antigranulocyte antibody imaging offered high sensitivity and acceptable specificity for the diagnosis of osteomyelitis. Diagnostic accuracy can be improved through the adjuvant use of antigranulocyte imaging for patients with suspected osteomyelitis, especially when radiographic and scintigraphic results are questionable or unreliable.

Three-phase radionuclide bone imaging and magnetic resonance imaging detection of occult knee fractures in athletes.

Twelve athletes presenting acute knee injury with normal radiological findings underwent both three-phase radionuclide bone imaging (TPBI) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI). The association of these highly sensitive diagnostic procedures detected occult fractures in all patients. The areas of signal intensity alterations on MRI corresponded to those of increased radionuclide uptake in blood pool images. However, the same areas seemed to be more extended on delayed TPB images. TPBI yielded early diagnostic information about lesion sites and functional activities, while MRI provided better anatomical definition and specific information about associated soft tissue lesions and served to establish the correct therapeutic approach and follow-up.

Detection of Recurrent Renal Cell Carcinoma by Three-Phase Bone Scan

The use of three-phase bone imaging in patients with low back pain has been questioned. This case demonstrates the usefulness of the three-phase bone scan in patients with a known malignancy presenting with low back pain

The relationship between thallium uptake, blood flow, and blood pool activity in bone and soft tissue tumors.

Twenty patients with known primary untreated and recurrent bone and soft tissue tumors underwent thallium imaging and three-phase bone imaging in the same session. The ratio of thallium uptake in the tumor tissue to the contralateral normal tissue areas was compared with the same ratio for phase 1 (blood flow or arterial phase), phase 2 (blood pool), and phase 3 (delayed medroxy-diphosphonate, MDP, uptake). There was poor correlation between Tl uptake and phases 1 and 3 of the bone scan ratios; r = 0.37 and 0.46; P = 0.097 and 0.047, respectively. The thallium uptake ratios correlated well with blood pool ratios (phase 2) (r = 0.84 and P less than 0.01). In contrast to uptake into normal muscle, Tl-201 uptake into tumor is not highly dependent on blood flow alone and other factors predominate in determining its magnitude.

The role of 99Tcm-HMPAO white cell imaging in suspected orthopaedic infection.

Accurate diagnosis is essential for the effective management of suspected bone infection. Current imaging techniques have had limited success and further work is required. Although white cell labelling techniques have been available for many years the radiopharmaceuticals employed have disadvantages, particularly in their availability and suitability for imaging. These problems have been overcome by the use of 99Tcm-HMPAO as an in vitro leukocyte labelling agent. The aims of this study were to assess retrospectively its role and accuracy in imaging orthopaedic infection and to compare the results with three-phase bone imaging. 30 patients with suspected bone infection underwent three-phase methylene diphosphonate (MDP) bone imaging and labelled leukocyte imaging on separate occasions. 16 bone scans were positive for infection, of which 14 were subsequently confirmed, and there were no false negatives. There were no false positive white cell studies and only one infection was not identified. 99Tcm-HMPAO white cell imaging has been shown to be an accurate technique for the diagnosis of bone infection but should be performed only following a positive finding on three-phase bone scanning, since the latter is highly sensitive but significantly less expensive, making it a more appropriate screening procedure.

Evaluation of the painful prosthetic joint: Relative value of bone scan, sedimentation rate, and joint aspiration

Seventy-two joint arthroplasties undergoing total hip or total knee surgery were studied prospectively with plain radiographs, three-phase bone imaging (3PBI), erythrocyte sedimentation rate (ESR), aspiration of the joint for culture, and multiple intraoperative cultures at the time of revision. Intraoperative cultures and the operative appearance were used to form a diagnosis of definite infection (unequivocal microbiology and gross sepsis), possible infection (positive microbiology or gross sepsis), or no infection (neither positive microbiology nor gross sepsis). For the preoperative diagnosis of infection, as opposed to aseptic loosening, 3PBI alone had a sensitivity of 33% and a specificity of 86%. In conjunction with plain radiographs, minimal improvement in accuracy was seen. A preoperative ESR greater than 30 had low sensitivity (60%) and a specificity of (65%). However, the ESR was statistically significantly higher in the joints with definite infection as compared to those joints without infection. The preoperative joint aspiration had a sensitivity of 67% and a specificity of 96% and, therefore, appears to be the most useful single test in the workup of a painful total joint arthroplasty.

Demonstration of Medial Meniscus Tear by Three-Phase Bone Imaging

Demonstration of Medial Meniscus Tear by Three-Phase Bone Imaging

Stress Fracture of the Patella Confirmation by Triple-Phase Bone Imaging

An athlete complained of chronic knee pain but had minimal findings on physical examination and initial equivocal radiographs. Subsequent tomograms of the knee suggested a patella stress fracture. Three-phase bone imaging confirmed a stress fracture of the inferior pole of the patella.

456. 骨折における 3 相骨シンチグラフィの検討(RI-13 骨・骨髄)

456. 骨折における 3 相骨シンチグラフィの検討(RI-13 骨・骨髄)