The scintigraphic findings in Paget's disease of bone

Bone scans and radiographic skeletal surveys have been done in 41 patients who had Paget's disease. The scintigraphic findings are consistent with what is known of the pathophysiology of Paget's disease. Diseased bone demonstrates increased vascularity, an increased degree of uptake of bone-seeking radiotracers and, in appropriate bones, evidence of marrow replacement. The bone scintiscan is a more sensitive indicator of the extent of polyostotic Paget's disease than conventional radiograph, demonstrating 34% more lesions. Because it reflects shorter term changes in osteoblastic activity the bone scan is of some value in providing immediate objective evidence of the therapeutic effectiveness of Mithramycin which has been used in this study in the treatment of the minority of patients with pain in Pagetoid bone. A technique for documenting alterations in uptake by diseased bone numerically is presented. Upon treatment with Mithramycin the ratio of abnormal uptake in relation to normal bone fell from 8.7 to 3.9.