[Bone scan "flare" in patients irradiated to formerly false negative bone metastasis]

We discuss three cases irradiated to their bone metastases. 99mTc-MDP bone scan before irradiation showed normal uptake in the lesions. In all the cases, the irradiation therapy was effective, but focal increased uptake area corresponding to the site of bone metastasis was revealed by the follow-up bone scan one to three months after irradiation. We concluded that the change of tracer uptake was so-called flare in formerly false negative lesion. The cause of this phenomenon was considered either elevation of osteoblastic activity with control of tumor or progression of osteolysis until tumor got well-controlled.