Evaluation of arthritis in Reiter's disease by bone scintigraphy and radiography

Tc-99m MDP bone scans were used to evaluate the articular inflammation in 38 patients with Reiter's disease and compared with clinical examination and radiologic findings. Our data showed that Reiter's disease predominantly involves the lower limbs, especially the heels, which may be a characteristic feature of Reiter's disease. Bone scans revealed a high diagnostic sensitivity in the detection of clinical arthritis in all peripheral joints, especially in the small joints of the four limbs. The diagnostic sensitivity of radiography was generally lower than bone scintigraphy. In the presence of positive radionuclide findings, clinical arthritis was found in most joints. The scintigram, however, detects a greater number of abnormalities than does clinical assessment in the sternoclavicular joints, shoulders, metacarpophalangeal joints, and tarsals. Because of its high sensitivity, bone scintigraphy is capable of detecting subclinical arthritis, and might provide more objective evidence of early inflammatory joint disease and additional information regarding the pattern of joint involvement. In view of the advantages of low patient radiation exposure, high sensitivity, and the ability to survey the whole body, we consider bone scintigraphy as useful and better than radiography in the detection of early articular inflammation and in establishing the extent and pattern of arthritis in Reiter's disease.