Primary neuroblastoma uptake of 99mtechnetium methylene diphosphonate

Forty patients, ages three days to 12 years, with neuroblastomas had bone scans with 99mtechnetium methylene diphosphonate (99mTc-MDP) as part of their pretreatment examination. Twenty-four (60%) had primary tumor uptake and 16 (40%) did not. No difference was seen between the two groups in the incidence of tumor calcification or necrosis. No relationship between the level of urinary vanillylmandelic acid (VMA) and the presence of primary tumor uptake of 99mTc-MDP was found. The possible causes for the localization of 99mTc-MDP are discussed.