Usefulness of 99mTc pyrophosphate bone scintigraphy in the survey of dialysis osteodystrophy

Fogelman's score (FS) was used to determine the usefulness of 99mTc pyrophosphate (Tc-PP) bone scintigraphy in the evaluation of dialysis osteodystrophy. FS correlated well with bone 47Ca accretion rate. It remained stable after six months in patients treated with 1 alpha (OH)D3 and increased significantly in a randomised group of untreated patients. It decreased after two years of 1 alpha (OH)D3 therapy while serum calcium increased and iPTH and alkaline phosphatases decreased. Patients with low FS, treated by 1 alpha (OH)D3, rapidly developed hypercalcaemia. In cases of spontaneous hypercalcaemia, parathyroidectomy did not normalise serum calcium in patients with low FS despite a significant decrease in serum iPTH. Lower FS were associated with a higher increase in serum aluminium after desferrioxamine (DFO) administration and in two cases of proven aluminium osteomalacia, DFO therapy was followed by a dramatic increase in FS.