[Osteoscintigraphy in the diagnosis of rheumatoid arthritis and Bechterew's diseases]

The paper is concerned with an analysis of the results of clinical and radionuclide examination of 36 patients with ankylosing spondylitis (AS) and 63 patients with rheumatoid arthritis (RA). The period of observation lasted from several week to 5 yrs. Osteoscintigraphy was performed using labeled agents. The data obtained coincided with pain sensations whereas the correspondence of painful zones and x-ray findings was noted in 39% of the patients. In RA hyperfixation of the drug was determined mainly in small and big joints (130-250%) in 92% of the patients coinciding with the pain syndrome and with X-ray findings in 38% of the cases only. Radionuclide signs of therapeutic efficacy were noted in 56% of the patients with AS and in 82% of the patients with RA. Radiation exposure of the bone marrow in osteoscintigraphy and x-ray investigation was defined (4.1 and 14.4 microGy). A radioimmunoassay showed elevated content of PTH in 67% of the patients with AS up to 4.0 +/- 0.5 iu/ml.