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Techetium 99m methylene diphosphonate bone scanning in osteoarthritic hands
J C Buckland-Wright1, D G Macfarlane, I Fogelman
1Department of Anatomy, United Medical School of Guy's, London Bridge, UK.
European Journal of Nuclear Medicine
|January 1, 1991
Summary
Radionuclide bone scans showed increased isotope uptake correlating with osteophyte size in hand osteoarthritis. Growing osteophytes were significantly larger at joints with increased bone scan activity.
Area of Science:
- Radiology
- Nuclear Medicine
- Orthopedics
Background:
- Osteoarthritis (OA) of the hand is a common degenerative joint disease.
- Radiological assessment is crucial for diagnosing and monitoring OA.
- Radionuclide bone scans offer a functional imaging perspective.
Purpose of the Study:
- To compare radiological features of hand osteoarthritis with radionuclide bone scan findings.
- To investigate the relationship between bone scan activity and specific radiographic OA features.
- To analyze changes in these parameters over time.
Main Methods:
- Prospective study of 32 patients with hand osteoarthritis over 18 months.
- Microfocal radiography for detailed joint measurements (joint space width, sclerosis, osteophytes, radiolucency).
- Technetium-99m methylene diphosphonate bone scans at baseline and 12 months, with joint uptake scored.
Main Results:
- Bone scan scores did not correlate with joint space width, subchondral sclerosis, or osteophyte number/area.
- A significant correlation was found between bone scan uptake and osteophyte size.
- Growing and remodelling osteophytes increased significantly in size at joints with increased isotope uptake.
Conclusions:
- Radionuclide bone scans may reflect osteophyte activity in hand osteoarthritis.
- Increased bone scan uptake is associated with larger and growing osteophytes.
- Bone scans could provide complementary information to radiography in hand OA assessment.