Diffuse Splenic Uptake on 99m Tc MDP Bone Scintigraphy Secondary to Transfusion-Related Hemosiderosis : Correlation

Ola A E Mohamed1, Khaled M ElSayes2, Kathryn Morton3

  • 1Department of Radiology, Mayo Clinic, Rochester, MN.

A 70-year-old woman with a past medical history of breast cancer is undergoing surveillance. She also had a history of repeated blood transfusions for refractory anemia caused by treated marrow metastatic disease. Laboratory tests showed elevated AST (50 U/L) and ALT (115 U/L). 99m Tc MDP bone scintigraphy revealed intense diffuse splenic uptake. No splenic calcifications or infarcts were found on contrast-enhanced CT. MRI demonstrated signal dropout on in-phase sequences and marked T2 hypointensity of the spleen and liver, without focal splenic lesions, suggesting transfusion-related secondary hemosiderosis. Iron overload should be considered when diffuse splenic uptake is observed on bone scintigraphy.

Related Concept Videos

Magnetic Resonance Imaging01:24

Magnetic Resonance Imaging

Magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is a noninvasive medical imaging technique based on a phenomenon of nuclear physics discovered in the 1930s, in which matter exposed to magnetic fields and radio waves was found to emit radio signals. In 1970, a physician and researcher named Raymond Damadian noticed that malignant (cancerous) tissue gave off different signals than normal body tissue. He applied for a patent for the first MRI scanning device in clinical use by the early 1980s. The early MRI...
Imaging Studies II: Positron Emission Tomography and Scintigraphy01:25

Imaging Studies II: Positron Emission Tomography and Scintigraphy

Positron Emission Tomography (PET) is a medical imaging technique that provides crucial insights into the body's physiological functions at a molecular level. It is an indispensable resource for diagnosing, staging, and monitoring various illnesses, notably cancer, neurological disorders, and cardiovascular conditions.
Fundamental Principles of PET
Radiological Investigation III: Pulmonary Angiogram and PET Scan01:13

Radiological Investigation III: Pulmonary Angiogram and PET Scan

Radiological investigations are paramount in the diagnosis and management of various pulmonary diseases. Two essential investigations are the Pulmonary Angiogram and the Positron Emission Tomography (PET) Scan.
Pulmonary Angiogram
A Pulmonary Angiogram is an invasive procedure involving injecting a contrast medium through a catheter threaded into the pulmonary artery or the right side of the heart to visualize the pulmonary vasculature. Computed Tomography (CT) scans have mainly replaced this...