Strontium-85 profile counting in fractures of the tibial shaft

A total of 203 profile countings were performed on 68 fractures of the tibial shaft, which included 25 normally healing cases, 37 cases of delayed union, and six cases of non-union. The measurements were performed on the 1st and the 7th day after the injection of strontium. In 27 cases the fracture received 2-3 strontium injections with associated profile counting at different stages of the healing process. The cases of normally healing fractures and delayed union showed differences in the average strontium uptake. However, these differences were not distinct enough to enable classification of individual fractures into groups. In cases requiring bone grafting, the transplant was found to accelerate metabolism and increase the accretion of strontium at the site of the fracture. The investigation shows that the real value of strontium profile counting lies in its ability to give information about the osteogenetic activity of the bone, which is a necessary prerequisite for the healing of the fracture.