Focal tracer uptake in the jaw

Focal tracer uptake in the jaw during conventional bone scintigraphy is a quite frequent finding usually due to dental disease and seldom to other diseases including malignant disease. Methylene diphosphonate-technetium-99m ((99m)Tc-MDP) 3-phase bone scan is considered the most sensitive imaging method for the detection of jaw osteonecrosis at an early stage. This finding can also but seldom be seen in patients undergoing palliative radionuclide treatment for bone metastases. In conclusion, focal jaw lesions are usually benign and of dental origin. In a small percentage of cancer patients of about 4.3%, jaw lesions as diagnosed among 347 cases of various carcinomas may be due to malignancy. Unfortunately, the number of studies is small, most of them are retrospective and few show biopsy results.