Scintigraphic manifestation of fibrous dysplasia

Scintigraphic manifestations of fibrous dysplasia were analyzed in 59 lesions of 26 patients (12 monostotic, 14 polystotic). Bone imaging with Tc-99m MDP revealed a high percentage of increased uptake of radioisotope in the lesions of fibrous dysplasia. Four (14%) of 29 cystic lesions and two (7%) of 30 lesions with the appearance of ground glass showed no increase in radioisotope uptake, although roentgenograms showed marked changes. Therefore, care must be taken in the diagnosis of fibrous dysplasia with bone imaging alone. Nuclear methods, however, are indispensable in evaluating the dynamic aspects of bone mineral behavior and in demonstrating disease where none was suspected, or in visualizing polyostotic involvement in those cases where only monostotic disease was suspected clinically. It is concluded that both scintigrams and roentgenograms are complementary procedures in the diagnosis of fibrous dysplasia.