Abdominal masses in children: multiorgan imaging with 99mTc methylene diphosphonate

Technetium-99m methylene diphosphonate (99mTc MDP) imaging was performed in 29 consecutive children with abdominal masses. Dynamic images of the inferior vena cava were obtained by injecting the radiotracer in the feet. Serial renal images were obtained for the next 30 min. Routine bone imaging was performed at about 3 hr. The radionuclide studies of the inferior vena cava accurately diagnosed total obstruction and displacement to the left but not partial obstruction and displacement to the right. The abnormalities on early renal imaging included displacement (14), distortion (seven), obstruction (eight), and nonvisualization (one). All patients with Wilms tumor (eight) had either nonvisualized or distorted renal parenchyma. Patients with neuroblastoma (17) and other tumors (four) had displacement and obstruction. Soft-tissue accumulation of 99mTc MDP was noted in two Wilms tumors and 12 neuroblastomas.