Bone scan evidence of renal osteodystrophy in undialyzed uremic patients

Scintigraphy with the 99m-Tc complexes offers serveral distinct advantages to the nephrologist. The procedure is both easily performed and readily available, there have been no reports of toxicity, and the radiation exposure to the patient is lower than that of conventional radiography. We suggest that scintigraphic evidence of metabolic bone disease is present at the onset of terminal uremia with much higher frequency than is detectable by radiographs, and that unsuspected soft tissue calcification may also be detected on occasion. Therefore, 99m-Tc scans may be a valuable addition to the diagnostic regimen of the uremic, and should be thoroughly evaluated with more extensive studies, including quantitative analyses.