Radioisotope scanning in inflammatory muscle disease

Fourteen whole-body rectilinear bone scans using technetium 99m-polyphosphate were done in nine patients with well-documented inflammatory myopathy (either polymyositis or dermatomyositis). In all nine patients, the scans showed evidence of increased muscle labeling. Muscle uptake was markedly increased in one patient, moderately increased in two patients, and minimally increased in six patients. The degree of muscle labeling correlated with the severity of the muscle weakness at the time the scan was done. In four patients, who received high-dose corticosteroid treatment, muscle uptake was decreased following therapy. These findings suggest that radioisotope scanning may be useful in the diagnosis and management of patients with inflammatory muscle diseases.