Tc-99m-MDP scintigraphy not informative in painful total hip arthroplasty

In 61 painful cemented total hip arthroplasties the diagnostic specificity was 0.7 for plain radiography and 0.46 for scintigraphy. The diagnostic sensitivity was 0.97 for radiography and 0.77 for scintigraphy. False negative radiology occurred in 0.05 and false positive in 0.23. False negative scintigraphy was encountered in 0.27 and false positive in 0.49. Seven of thirty-nine hips were operatively explored because of false positive scintigraphy. In conclusion, Tc-99m-MDP scintigraphy could not used as a complementary diagnostic measure in our hands.