Extraskeletal uptake of technetium-99m-MDP in sites of heparin administration

A 19-yr-old woman with juvenile diabetes and protein C deficiency was referred for a bone scan to rule out osteomyelitis of the right tibia. The bone scan did not reveal evidence of osteomyelitis. There was, however, extraskeletal uptake of the 99mTc bone tracer in the anterior abdominal wall confined to the sites of subcutaneous heparin administration. This case is presented because of its interesting scintigraphic findings and to discuss the association of protein C deficiency and heparin administration as a cause of extraskeletal 99mTc bone tracer accumulation.