Scintigraphy of de Quervain's tenosynovitis

The scintigraphic pattern of de Quervain's tenosynovitis has not previously been described. Similar three-phase bone scintigraphy patterns were found in four patients with this condition. The characteristic abnormalities consisted of an elongated area of increased uptake in the blood flow and blood pool phases in the anatomical course of the first dorsal compartment of the wrist, together with increased focal uptake of 99Tcm-MDP in the radial styloid on the delayed images. This pattern should be recognized and included in the differential diagnosis of increased uptake of 99Tcm-MDP in the radial compartment of the wrist.