Scintigraphy in the evaluation of the "clinical" scaphoid fracture

In a prospective study we performed bone scans on 84 patients who had sustained a wrist injury and in whom a scaphoid fracture was clinically suspected but could not be confirmed on the original set of five routine "scaphoid view" radiographs. In 40 patients the bone scan was normal and in 25 there was increased uptake in areas other than the scaphoid. In 19 there was localized increased uptake in the scaphoid bone. In seven of these a scaphoid fracture was subsequently demonstrated on repeat radiographs (five cases) or a CT scan (two cases). In the remaining 12 no fracture could be demonstrated.