[Detection of ischemic muscle necroses using 99mTc perfusion scintigraphy of traumatized extremities]

In the Dr. Horst-Schmidt Kliniken Wiesbaden 19 patients with trauma of the inferior legs have been examined by means of perfusion-scintigraphy with regard to a compartmental syndrome. In the control group there were twelve Patients without trauma. The employed method of computer assisted analysis of function of blood supply of the extremities in connection with the verification of the 99mTC-MDP amassment in the soft tissues seen in follow-up X-rays allows a differentiation between a normal-blood stream raising caused by a traumatic reparation (C = 1.7 +/- 0.6) and the significant higher blood stream as a result of the development of ischemic muscle lesions (C = 3.8 +/- 1.5). This non-invasive method is not very exert for the patient and is practicable with little expense in a nuclear medicine department. It may not be considered as a routine analysis because the clinical signs are sufficient to show the necessity of an immediate operative intervention in order to avoid a compartmental syndrome.