Diffuse, intense lung uptake on a bone scan: a case report

Clinical and scintigraphic findings are described in a patient with unexpected diffuse lung uptake on bone scan after a heroin overdose.

The patient's Tc-99m MDP bone scan is reviewed along with the pertinent clinical history and laboratory findings.

Marked diffuse and symmetric lung uptake is present on bone scintigraphy in a patient with a history of acute renal failure and a markedly elevated calcium-phosphate product but normal renal function and laboratory values at the time of the examination.

The incidental observation of metastatic calcification by bone scintigraphy is important, because it may aid in the diagnosis of a previously unsuggested elevated calcium-phosphate product, renal failure, or both. Furthermore, the intensity of tracer localization on bone tracer-specific imaging may help evaluate the activity of the metastatic calcification process.