Functional Imaging in Musculoskeletal Disorders in Menopause

Area of Science:

• Nuclear medicine
• Musculoskeletal (MSK) disorders
• Menopause-related conditions

Background:

• Menopause is linked to increased risk of osteoporosis, osteoarthritis (OA), sarcopenia, and sarco-obesity.
• Functional imaging is crucial for understanding and managing these MSK disorders.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review the applications of nuclear medicine techniques for functional imaging of menopause-related MSK disorders.
• To highlight the role of specific radiopharmaceuticals and advanced imaging technologies.

Main Methods:

• Bone Scan (BS) using ^99mTc-labeled phosphonates.
• ¹⁸F-NaF Positron Emission Tomography (PET) with dynamic scanning.
• Fluorodeoxyglucose (FDG) PET imaging.
• Combination of BS with Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI).

Main Results:

• BS aids in identifying vertebral collapse and provides quantitative data for OA.
• ¹⁸F-NaF PET shows promise in measuring bone turnover and evaluating subchondral bone activity in OA.
• FDG PET differentiates vertebral fractures and images inflamed joints in OA, with potential in sarco-obesity for visceral adipose tissue (VAT) quantification.

Conclusions:

• Nuclear medicine offers valuable functional imaging for menopause-related MSK disorders.
• Further research is needed to explore new radiopharmaceuticals and advanced scanners for improved diagnostics and management.