Experimental study of vascularized bone: quantitative analysis of bone scintigraphy and histology

The purpose of this study was the sequential evaluation of vascularized bone by quantitative analysis of bone scintigraphy with Tc-99m methylene diphosphonate (MDP). The correlation between the uptake of Tc-99m MDP and the morphologic behavior of vascularized bone was investigated, simultaneously with bone labeling, contact microradiogram (CMR), and histology of an undecalcified sample. In this experiment, 41 adult female rabbits were used. An island tibia pedicled with the popliteal vessels was used as the model of vascularized bone. The maximum uptake of Tc-99m MDP was observed at two to four postoperative weeks. When bone marrow was partially exposed, the uptake was significantly large. On the basis of this experimental study, the degree of Tc-99m MDP uptake seemed to depend primarily on the osteoblastic activity of vascularized bone. The newly-formed bone was observed mainly at periosteal sites.