Decreased 99mTc sulfur colloid activity in healed rib fractures

This report describes 2 patients in whom focal areas of decreased 99mTc sulfur colloid marrow activity were associated with callus formation and healing rib fractures in one case and rib fractures with bony bridging in the second. Since bone marrow scans are occasionally used to select appropriate sites for marrow biopsy in patients with suspected metastatic disease, radiographic correlation of "cold" lesions on marrow scans is recommended prior to biopsy to exclude fracture with callus formation as a benign cause of the abnormality.