Myocardial and vascular uptake of a bone tracer associated with secondary hyperparathyroidism

A patient on chronic hemodialysis, with secondary hyperparathyroidism was referred for a radionuclide bone-imaging study. Deposition of 99mTc-methylene diphosphonate (99mTc-MDP) was apparent in the myocardium and abdominal blood vessels, as well as in the skeleton by four-color processed scintigraphy. Plain radiographs of the chest and abdomen demonstrated no calcification in the myocardium or abdominal blood vessels. Several possible mechanism for this uptake are discussed briefly.