The use of dynamic bone scanning in the evaluation of wrist and hand pain
Twenty-seven patients with complaints of wrist and/or hand pain were evaluated using a quantitative technique of dynamic (blood flow analysis) and static bone scan. The patients were divided in two groups according to their clinical history. Group A included 13 patients with a history of trauma. Seven patients had scaphoid fracture and 6 of them were scanned to determine non-union and/or avascular necrosis of the joint. One patient was scanned to determine the viability of a graft for non-union fracture. In all cases the scan gave a correct diagnosis as confirmed by later x-ray changes. Six patients in this group had negative x-rays. The scan demonstrated 4 cases of occult fractures, 4 had early Kienbock's Disease (KD) and 1 a soft tissue tumor. Group B included 14 patients with no known history of trauma. Nine had positive x-rays including 3 with KD that were scanned to determine their viability for surgical replacement of the lunate. The scan could distinguish between isolated involvement of the lunate and secondary degenerative changes of the surrounding carpal bones and radiocarpal joint. Two patients with tumor were correctly diagnosed by the scan, one as benign and one malignant. Four other patients with nonspecific changes on x-ray showed early arthritis (3 cases) and a cyst of the triquetrum ( 1 case) on the bone scan. Four patients in Group B had negative x-rays and the scan showed degenerative changes (3 cases) and an occult fracture of the hamate (1 case). The use of dynamic and static bone scanning appears to be a very valuable technique in the evaluation of patients with wrist and hand pain.
- Research Organization:
- Departments of Orthopedic Surgery and Radiation Medicine, Brown Univ., Providence, RI
- OSTI ID:
- 6933179
- Report Number(s):
- CONF-840619-
- Journal Information:
- J. Nucl. Med.; (United States), Journal Name: J. Nucl. Med.; (United States) Vol. 25:5; ISSN JNMEA
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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Related Subjects
62 RADIOLOGY AND NUCLEAR MEDICINE
BLOOD FLOW
BODY
BODY AREAS
BONE JOINTS
COUNTING TECHNIQUES
DIAGNOSTIC TECHNIQUES
DISEASES
HANDS
INDUSTRIAL RADIOGRAPHY
LIMBS
ORGANS
PAIN
PATIENTS
RADIOISOTOPE SCANNING
RHEUMATIC DISEASES
SKELETAL DISEASES
SKELETON
SYMPTOMS
X-RAY RADIOGRAPHY