99Tcm-MDP SPECT颞颌关节显像对髁突肥大的诊断价值

目的 探讨99Tcm-MDP SPECT颞颌关节显像对髁突肥大的诊断价值.方法 回顾性分析2009年至2010年行99Tcm-MDP SPECT颞颌关节显像的髁突肥大(临床确诊)患者56例(男22例,女34例,平均年龄21.5岁),其中31例接受了髁突高位切除术并有组织病理学结果.另收集10例因恶性肿瘤等其他疾病行骨显像的对照者,男女各5例,平均年龄22.6岁,加做颞颌关节显像.对所有研究对象进行SPECT图像分析及半定量分析,采用独立样本t检验比较髁突肥大组与对照组间患侧髁突/顶骨及患侧髁突/双侧髁突的摄取比差异,髁突肥大组患侧与健侧的摄取差异行配对t检验.对手术治疗患者的SPECT结果与其病理结果进行Pearson相关分析.结果 髁突肥大组患侧髁突/顶骨摄取比(1.66 ±0.63)及患侧髁突/双侧髁突摄取比(0.59±0.44)均明显高于对侧(1.34±0.34、0.41±0.04,t=3.687和6.590,均P＜0.01),并且明显高于对照组左侧髁突相应数据(1.12 ±0.07和0.50±0.01,t =6.459和4.750,均P＜0.001).SPECT检查诊断髁突生长活跃的灵敏度为95.2％(20/21),特异性为60.0％(6/10),阳性预测值为83.3％ (20/24),阴性预测值为6/7.患侧髁突/双侧髁突摄取比与软骨组织增生的厚度无明显相关[软骨膜、增殖层、肥大层的平均厚度分别为(150.5±94.9)、(185.2±113.6)、(167.7 ±76.9)μm,r=0.46、0.47、-0.12,均P＞0.05].结论 99Tcm-MDP SPECT颞颌关节显像能够有效评估髁突肥大患者的骨质生长活性,为手术方式的选择提供重要依据.     

SPECT/CT骨显像在肿瘤患者可疑脊柱转移灶中的诊断价值

目的 评价99Tcm-亚甲基二膦酸盐(MDP)SPECT/CT骨显像对肿瘤患者可疑脊柱转移灶的诊断价值.方法 选取76例99Tcm-MDP骨显像可疑脊柱转移灶患者,进行SPECT/CT同机融合显像.76例患者中,与病理(含术中病理)检查结果对照19例,与随访1年余(2006年6月至2006年12月患者,随访至2008年3月)结果对照14例,显像结果与CT及MRI的共同结果对照43例.结果 SPECT/CT显像诊断肿瘤脊柱转移灶的灵敏度为95.83%(23/24),特异性为90.38%(47/52),准确性为92.11%(70/76),阳性预测值为82.14%(23/28),阴性预测值为97.92%(47/48),阳性似然比为9.97,阴性似然比为0.05.结论 SPECT/CT提高了肿瘤可疑脊柱转移灶鉴别诊断的准确性和特异性.     

经关节突入路手术治疗极外侧型腰椎间盘突出症

 目的 评价经关节突人路手术治疗极外侧型腰椎间盘突出症的疗效.方法 收集15例采用经关节突人路于术治疗极外侧型腰椎间盘突出症患者的临床资料,对患者术前、术后VAS、ODI评分结果进行比较.结果 15例随访12 ～ 28个月,平均随访21.2个月,VAS评分术前为(7.5±1.36)分,术后为(2.0±0.9)分;ODI评分术前为(41.2±5.3)分,术后为(12.1±2.4)分,差异有统计学意义(P＜0.05).结论 经关节突入路手术治疗极外侧型腰椎间盘突出症可获得良好疗效.     

18F-FDG PET/CT显像SUVmax与嗜铬细胞瘤恶性程度的相关性探讨

目的 分析嗜铬细胞瘤18 F-FDG PET/CT显像SUVmax与血浆游离甲氧基肾上腺素(MN)、甲氧基去甲肾上腺素(NMN)及131I-间位碘代苄胍(MIBG) SPECT显像间的关系,探讨18F-FDG PET/CT在诊断嗜铬细胞瘤和预测嗜铬细胞瘤恶性程度中的价值.方法 采用回顾性研究方法,收集经18F-FDG PET/CT检查且手术病理证实为嗜铬细胞瘤的患者19例,按其生物学行为分为良性组(n=11)与恶性组(n=8),查询PET/CT检查前后血MN、NMN及131 I-MIBG SPECT的检查结果,利用SPSS 17.0软件行两独立样本t检验,并绘制ROC曲线,探讨嗜铬细胞瘤SUVmax的特点,比较分析各检查之间的关系.结果 (1)11例良性嗜铬细胞瘤(BPCC)与8例恶性嗜铬细胞瘤(MPCC)PET/CT显像均为阳性;MPCC的SUVmax(19.40±7.39)明显大于BPCC的SUVmax (7.44±4.47),t=-4.40,P＜0.01;用约登指数法,确定SUVmax=8.85为判断嗜铬细胞瘤良恶性的分界值,其灵敏度、特异性和准确性分别为8/8、81.8％(9/11)、89.5％ (17/19);异位嗜铬细胞瘤SUVmax为19.75±8.64,明显高于肾上腺嗜铬细胞瘤SUVmax (9.12±5.83),t=-3.18,P＜0.05;初发与复发的嗜铬细胞瘤SUVmax间差异无统计学意义(t=-1.68,P＞0.05).(2)MN阴性病例SUVmax( 13.57±8.61)明显高于MN阳性病例SUVmax (6.63±2.42),t =2.70,P＜0.05;NMN阴性与阳性的病例SUVmax间差异无统计学意义(t=-0.93,P＞0.05).(3)7例同期行18F-FDG PET/CT与131I-MIBG SPECT患者中,3例BPCC,其中2例MIBG显像阳性,4例MPCC MIBG显像均为阴性;7例PET/CT显像均为阳性.结论 对于血MN与MIBG检查为阴性、但临床疑为嗜铬细胞瘤患者,FDG PET/CT可作为辅助诊断手段,减少漏诊率.     

分期与择期手术治疗急性闭合性跖跗关节复合体骨折脱位的疗效比较

目的比较分期与择期手术治疗急性闭合性跖跗关节复合体骨折脱位的疗效。方法采用回顾性队列研究分析2017年1月至2021年1月同济大学附属同济医院收治的26例急性闭合性跖跗关节复合体骨折脱位患者的临床资料, 其中男18例, 女8例;年龄32～52岁[(44.3±5.2)岁]。按照受伤至收治时间分组, 伤后8 h内收治的14例患者行分期手术治疗(分期组), Ⅰ期手术均为急诊在C形臂X线机监视下行复位和克氏针临时内固定术, 待肿胀消退后Ⅱ期行跖跗关节骨折脱位的切开复位内固定术;伤后超过8 h收治的12例患者行择期手术(择期组), 待肿胀消退后, 择期行跖跗关节骨折脱位的切开复位内固定术。比较两组手术时间、住院时间和骨折愈合时间;术前、术后1, 6, 12个月及末次随访时视觉模拟评分(VAS)和美国足踝外科协会(AOFAS)中足评分;术后并发症发生率。结果患者均获随访12～24个月[(18.5±3.8)个月]。分期组手术时间、住院时间和骨折愈合时间分别为(77.3±5.6)min、(14.3±2.2)d、(12.3±1.2)周, 短于择期组的(101.5±7.5)min、(20.3±5.2)d、...     

影像引导下腰脊神经内侧支脉冲射频治疗腰椎小关节综合征

目的：评估脉冲射频刺激脊神经后内侧支治疗腰椎小关节综合征的疗效。方法48例诊断为腰椎小关节综合征的患者随机分为消炎镇痛药组（A组=26例）和脉冲射频组（B 组=22例）。 A组患者口服美洛昔康分散片;B组患者行射频脉冲刺激脊神经后内侧支所对应小关节。采用视觉模拟评分（ VAS ）,分别测评入院时、出院时及出院后6个月的 VAS 评分,并根据 VAS 改善程度统计疗效。结果出院时及出院后6个月时,A、B两组的VAS评分均较入院时有显著降低（P<0．01）;两组间VAS评分比较,出院时B组较A组降低,差异有统计学意义（P<0．05）。出院后6个月时B组较A组显著降低,差异有统计学意义（P<0．05）。治疗后6个月总有效率A组为46．5%,B组为87．6%;显效率B组为76．2%,A组为26．4%。 B组的总有效率和显效率均显著高于A组（P<0．01）。结论影像引导脊神经后内侧支脉冲射频术能有效缓解腰椎小关节综合征所致慢性腰痛,疗效优于口服药物治疗。     

18F-FDG PET/CT在可疑神经系统副肿瘤综合征中的应用价值

目的 探讨18F-脱氧葡萄糖(FDG)PET/CT显像探测临床可疑神经系统副肿瘤综合征(PNS)患者潜在肿瘤病灶的应用价值.方法 回顾性分析20例可疑PNS患者18F-FDG PET/CT显像资料,对所有患者行随访病理检查或临床最终诊断,并将结果与PET/CT显像和随访结果进行比较.结果 20例中PET/CT显像发现可疑恶性病变或既往肿瘤复发和(或)转移者9例,阴性11例.9例阳性者中3例为假阳性.PET/CT显像对PNS恶性肿瘤检出的灵敏度、特异性、准确性、阳性预测值和阴性预测值分别为6/6,78.57%(11/14),85.00%(17/20),6/9和100.00%(11/11).6例真阳性中4例治疗方案得以修正,经抗肿瘤和免疫疗法后神经异常症状得到改善.结论 18F-FDG PET/CT显像在可疑PNS中的应用有积极意义,有助于发现恶性肿瘤,也能对肿瘤分期提供帮助.     

18F-FDG PET/CT在可疑神经系统副肿瘤综合征中的应用价值

目的 探讨18F-脱氧葡萄糖(FDG)PET/CT显像探测临床可疑神经系统副肿瘤综合征(PNS)患者潜在肿瘤病灶的应用价值.方法 回顾性分析20例可疑PNS患者18F-FDG PET/CT显像资料,对所有患者行随访病理检查或临床最终诊断,并将结果与PET/CT显像和随访结果进行比较.结果 20例中PET/CT显像发现可疑恶性病变或既往肿瘤复发和(或)转移者9例,阴性11例.9例阳性者中3例为假阳性.PET/CT显像对PNS恶性肿瘤检出的灵敏度、特异性、准确性、阳性预测值和阴性预测值分别为6/6,78.57%(11/14),85.00%(17/20),6/9和100.00%(11/11).6例真阳性中4例治疗方案得以修正,经抗肿瘤和免疫疗法后神经异常症状得到改善.结论 18F-FDG PET/CT显像在可疑PNS中的应用有积极意义,有助于发现恶性肿瘤,也能对肿瘤分期提供帮助.     

99Tcm-PYP延迟及断层显像诊断转甲状腺素蛋白相关心脏淀粉样变的应用价值

目的探讨99Tcm-焦膦酸盐(PYP)不同采集方法在心脏淀粉样变(CA)诊断与病理分型中的应用。方法回顾性分析2018年12月至2019年12月间北京协和医院31例临床怀疑CA的患者资料, 其中男22例、女9例, 年龄21～81(57.2±13.4)岁。患者注射99Tcm-PYP后不同时间行平面显像[早期显像(注射后1 h)、延迟显像(注射后2～3 h)]和断层显像(注射后1 h)。以临床诊断为标准, 分别采用视觉评分法(≥2分为阳性)和半定量法[心脏与对侧肺摄取比值(H/CL)≥1.5诊断为阳性]分析99Tcm-PYP不同采集方法获得的CA及非CA患者的影像学特点。采用单因素方差分析和Bonferroni检验分析数据。结果根据临床诊断, CA组15例[转甲状腺素蛋白相关CA(ATTR-CA)5例、轻链型CA(AL-CA)10例], 非CA组16例。5例ATTR-CA患者双时相显像和SPECT/CT显像均为阳性;10例AL-CA患者中3例早期显像阳性, 延迟显像和SPECT/CT显像阴性;16例非CA患者双时相显像和SPECT/CT显像均为阴性。延迟期平面显像及断层显像灵敏度均为5/5...     

腹腔积液患者14例18F-FDG PET临床分析

目的 探讨腹腔积液患者18F-脱氧葡萄糖(FDG)PET显像的临床应用价值.方法 对14例腹腔积液患者的18F-FDG PET显像资料进行回顾性分析,随访其最终的病理检查结果、生存期等,并将18F-FDG PET显像资料和随访结果进行比较.用SAS 6.12软件进行统计学处理.结果 18F-FDG PET显像发现腹腔积液由恶性肿瘤引起者5例,良性病变引起者6例,假阳性1例和假阴性2例.18F-FDG PET显像对恶性肿瘤引起腹腔积液原发灶的检出灵敏度、特异性、阳性预测值和阴性预测值分别为5/7,6/7,5/6和6/8;18F-FDG PET显像示阳性者及阴性者其平均生存期分别为8.5(1～36)个月和15.5(3～50)个月,2组间差异有统计学意义(χ2=4.42,P≤0.05).结论 18F-FDG PET显像在腹腔积液患者的临床应用中有积极意义,尤其对于恶性腹腔积液原发灶的检出有一定的应用价值;同时,有助于预测腹腔积液阳性显像患者的生存期.     

Low back pain: prediction of short-term outcome of facet joint injection with bone scintigraphy

PURPOSE: To prospectively evaluate use of bone scintigraphy with single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) for identification of patients with low back pain who would benefit from facet joint injections. MATERIALS AND METHODS: The protocol was reviewed and approved by the institutional review board. All patients provided informed consent. Forty-seven patients (23 men and 24 women) with low back pain, who were scheduled for facet joint injections, were prospectively enrolled and randomized into groups A and B (mean ages, 43.3 and 44.2 years, respectively) with a group A-group B ratio of 2:1. Group A patients underwent bone scintigraphy with SPECT prior to injection. Group A patients with bone scans positive for facet joint abnormalities received injections at the levels where abnormalities were identified on the scan (group A1). Group A patients with negative scans (group A2) received injections at the levels that were decided as in group B. Group B patients received injections at the levels indicated by the referring physician and did not undergo bone scintigraphy. All patients completed a pain and function questionnaire before injection and at 1, 3, and 6 months afterward. The change in the American Academy of Orthopaedic Surgeons pain scores after 1, 3, and 6 months compared with baseline scores was analyzed with analysis of variance and post hoc Bonferroni multiple-comparison tests between groups. Cost analysis was performed. RESULTS: The change in the pain score at 1 month was significantly higher (P < .004) in group A1 than it was in the other two groups. In group A1, 13 of 15 patients had improvement in pain score of greater than 1 standard deviation at 1 month, whereas improvement occurred in only two of 16 patients in group A2 and five of 16 patients in group B. In patients with positive scans, the number of facets treated with injection was decreased from 60, which was the number originally indicated by the referring physician, to 27. The Medicare cost was reduced from $2191 per patient to $1865 with the use of SPECT. CONCLUSION: Bone scintigraphy with SPECT can help identify patients with low back pain who would benefit from facet joint injections.     

SPECT in the management of patients with back pain and spondylolysis

PURPOSE: Single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) bone scans of the lumbar spine were evaluated in the management of patients with low back pain and suspected spondylolysis. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Thirty-three patients (mean age, 30 years) with high clinical suspicion of pars interarticularis defects were included in the study. The results of lumbar radiographs and SPECT bone scintigraphy were compared and the influence of these results on patient management was evaluated. RESULTS: Twenty-six of the 33 patients had abnormal results of lumbar radiographs. Of the 21 patients with radiographs indicating spondylolysis, six had abnormal uptake in the pars regions on bone scintigraphy. One patient with normal results of lumbar radiographs had a SPECT bone scan showing uptake in the region of the pars interarticularis. CONCLUSIONS: SPECT bone scanning of the lumbar spine has a role in the treatment of patients with symptomatic spondylolysis.     

Lumbosacral transitional vertebral articulation: evaluation by planar and SPECT bone scintigraphy

It has been suggested that low back pain (LBP) may arise from lumbosacral transitional vertebral articulation (LSTVA) itself. It is known that bone scintigraphy is a valuable tool for the recognition of pain arising from bone and articular diseases. Therefore we aimed to show planar and SPECT bone scintigraphic findings of LSTVA and compare them with the LBP and X-ray findings. Twenty-eight patients (aged 20-63 years) in whom LSTVA had been identified radiographically were evaluated with planar bone scintigraphy, utilizing 99mTc methylene diphosphonate; and single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) bone scintigraphy. Eighteen patients had LBP whereas 10 had not. There were 25 type IIA, one type IIB and two type IIIA LSTV articulation. On planar images, normal or non-focal minimally increased uptake superimposed on the upper sacroiliac joint was seen in patients without degenerative changes regardless of LBP whereas SPECT showed non-focal mild increased uptake on the area medial to the upper sacroiliac joint. Planar scans showed normal to non-focal mild, and mild-to-moderately increased uptake whereas SPECT demonstrated focal mild-to-moderately and markedly increased uptake in patients with degenerative changes without LBP and with LBP, respectively. The X-ray results showed an association of LBP degenerative changes, and the SPECT results showed a focal, markedly increased, uptake. We conclude that this focal, markedly increased, uptake may show the metabolically active degenerative changes of LSTV articulation and may help to reveal the pain arising from LSTVA. Therefore we propose that bone scintigraphy may be considered for the evaluation of patients with LBP thought to arise from LSTV articulation.     

The identification of spinal pathology in chronic low back pain using single photon emission computed tomography.

Bone scintigraphy with single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) offers improved lesion detection and localization when compared to conventional planar imaging. The SPECT findings were investigated in 80 consecutive patients (aged 18-70 years, median 44) referred to a rheumatology outpatient clinic with low back pain persisting for more than 3 months. Lesions of the lumbar spine were demonstrated in 60% of patients using SPECT but in only 35% with planar imaging. Fifty-one per cent of all lesions were only detected by SPECT, and lesions visualized on SPECT could be precisely localized to the vertebral body, or different parts of the posterior elements. Fifty per cent of lesions involved the facetal joints of which almost 60% were identified on SPECT alone. X-rays of the lumbar spine, with posterior oblique views, failed to demonstrate abnormalities corresponding to almost all SPECT posterior element lesions although it identified abnormalities corresponding to over 60% of anterior SPECT lesions. Computed tomography (CT) was performed in 30 patients with a SPECT lesion and sites of facetal joint activity corresponded to facetal osteoarthritis in 82%. It is concluded that bone scintigraphy with SPECT in patients with chronic low back pain demonstrates many lesions not seen with either X-ray or conventional planar imaging. In addition anatomical localization is greatly enhanced with bone SPECT. The technique offers improved diagnosis in a group of patients often difficult to evaluate, and in particular a means of detecting apophyseal joint pathology which may be responsive to treatment.     

The prevalence of lumbar facet joint edema in patients with low back pain

Objective The objective was to assess the prevalence of lumbar facet joint edema in patients with low back pain. Materials and methods Lumbar spine MR examinations (1.5 T) of 145 consecutive patients (87 women, 58 men; mean age 52.8, range 17–94 years) were retrospectively evaluated with regard to the presence of facet joint edema. The MR protocol included sagittal short-tau inversion recovery (STIR), T1- and T2-weighted as well as transverse T2-weighted images. In 9 patients follow-up MR examinations were performed and results were compared with pain. The agreement between the change in intensity of facet joint edema and the change in intensity of pain was assessed using kappa statistics and Kendall’s tau coefficient. Results In 21 of the 145 patients (14%) edema was found at the facet joints: in 52.4% at L4/5, in 19.0% at L5/S1, in 14.3% at L4/5 and L5/S1, in 9.5% at L3/4 and L4/5, and in 4.8% at L3/4. The agreement between the change in pain score and intensity of edema within the follow-up group was “almost perfect” (kappa = 0.81). Kendall’s tau coefficient was 0.91, indicating high agreement. Conclusion Sagittal STIR images detect facet joint edema in 14% of patients with low back pain. This fact may be useful for planning treatment including facet joint injections.     

The diagnostic value of bone scintigraphy in patients with low back pain

Bone scintigraphy has been studied in two groups of patients presenting with low back pain. In one group of 38 patients suffering "nonspecific" back pain, bone scintigraphy and laboratory findings were negative in 24. There were abnormal laboratory findings in all of the remaining 14 and 7 had positive bone scans indicative of clinically significant disease. Selection of patients for bone scintigraphy in this group should therefore be influenced by abnormal laboratory findings and elevation of the erythrocyte sedimentation rate in particular. By comparison, the bone scans were reviewed from another group of patients suffering previously known malignancy. Out of 138 patients, nearly 40% showed a positive bone scan due to subsequently proven metastasis. Bone scintigraphy was positive in a further 14% as a result of osteoporotic rib fracture and vertebral body collapse. In half of these, it was not possible to exclude malignancy by scintigraphy. The present findings indicate that bone scintigraphy is not a useful procedure in patients with long-standing low back pain who have normal radiographs and normal laboratory findings.     

Symptomatic lumbar facet joint synovial cysts: clinical assessment of facet joint steroid injection after 1 and 6 months and long-term follow-up in 30 patients

PURPOSE: To study the results of facet joint intraarticular steroid injections in patients with symptomatic lumbar facet joint synovial cysts. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Data from 30 patients (age range, 44-82 years; mean age, 67 years) with nerve root pain due to a lumbar facet joint synovial cyst and treated with facet joint steroid injection were retrospectively studied. On the basis of MacNab criteria, the clinical course of nerve root pain was evaluated after 1 (n = 30) and 6 (n = 28) months. Data from long-term follow-up (mean, 26 months) were also available in 14 nonsurgically treated patients. RESULTS: After 1 month, the nerve root pain outcome was excellent or good in 20 patients (67%) and fair or poor in 10 (33%). After 6 months, 10 (50%) of these 20 patients still had excellent or good results, and 18 (60%) of the 30 patients had a fair or poor clinical status, 14 of whom underwent surgery; two patients (7%) were lost to follow-up. Excellent and good results were maintained at further follow-up (range, 9-50 months). CONCLUSION: One-third of patients with symptomatic lumbar facet joint synovial cysts had long-lasting acceptable benefit from facet joint steroid injections in this study. Steroid injection should be indicated before surgery.     

Frequency of Discordance between Facet Joint Activity on Technetium Tc99m Methylene Diphosphonate SPECT/CT and Selection for Percutaneous Treatment at a Large Multispecialty Institution

BACKGROUND AND PURPOSE:The clinical impact of facet joint bone scan activity is not fully understood. The hypothesis of this study is that facet joints targeted for percutaneous treatment in clinical practice differ from those with reported activity on technetium Tc99m methylene diphosphonate SPECT/CT.MATERIALS AND METHODS:All patients with a technetium Tc99m methylene diphosphonate SPECT/CT scan of the lumbar or cervical spine who underwent subsequent percutaneous facet joint steroid injection or comparative medial branch blocks at our institution between January 1, 2008, and February 19, 2013, were identified. Facet joints with increased activity were compared with those treated. A chart review characterized the clinical reasons for treatment discrepancies.RESULTS:Of 74 patients meeting inclusion criteria, 52 (70%) had discrepant imaging findings and treatment selection of at least 1 facet joint, whereas 34 patients (46%) had a side (right vs left) discrepancy. Only 92 (70%) of 132 facet joints with increased activity were treated, whereas 103 (53%) of 195 of treated facet joints did not have increased activity. The most commonly documented clinical rationale for discrepancy was facet joint activity that was not thought to correlate with clinical findings, cited in 18 (35%) of 52 patients.CONCLUSIONS:Facet joints undergoing targeted percutaneous treatment were frequently discordant with those demonstrating increased technetium Tc99m methylene diphosphonate activity identified by SPECT/CT at our institution, in many cases because the active facet joint(s) did not correlate with clinical findings. Further prospective double-blinded investigations of the clinical significance of facet joint activity by use of technetium Tc99m methylene diphosphonate SPECT/CT and comparative medial branch blocks are needed.

Clinical examination and anatomic imaging do not reliably identify specific painful facet joints.^1–3 Prior studies suggest that technetium Tc99m methylene diphosphonate (^99mTc MDP) bone scan activity can predict if a facet joint is painful and if there will be a positive response to percutaneous intervention targeted specifically to active facet joints.^4–6 These prior studies used strict treatment of every facet joint with increased radiotracer activity on bone scan,^4–6 concluding that ^99mTc MDP SPECT can decrease the number of treated facet joints.⁴ However, those results can only be applicable if this is used in clinical practice and is feasible. Moreover, these studies did not incorporate CT scan for facet joint localization, use comparative medial branch blocks for diagnosis, include clearly blinded patients and proceduralists, or examine the impact of ^99mTc MDP bone scan results in actual clinical practice. Such shortcomings limit the conclusions of these prior reports and indicate the need for further examination of the clinical usefulness of ^99mTc MDP facet joint activity. In addition, evaluation of the impact of imaging in actual practice is important because the efficacy demonstrated in clinical studies often does not translate into true clinical effectiveness when the ideal rigorous methods of the efficacy study are no longer applied.⁷ That is, the effect of real-life variables such as clinical findings suggesting facet joint pain on a specific side or level and the variability of physician experience and philosophy should be evaluated to confirm or refute the impact of controlled studies on actual clinical practice and to identify areas in need of future investigation.In our anecdotal experience, the specific facet joints referred for percutaneous facet joint intervention are sometimes widely discordant from those with reported activity on ^99mTc MDP SPECT/CT. Specifically, we have seen some patients with suspected facetogenic pain where the ^99mTc MDP SPECT/CT scan does not seem to demonstrate concordant facet joint activity in the location or even on the side of pain. We have also observed that many facet joints with bone scan activity do not seem to correlate with a clinical facet joint pain syndrome. However, the concordance of facet joint bone scan activity and targeted facet joint treatment in actual clinical practice is not well described. Furthermore, the clinical rationale for imaging-procedural discrepancy is not known.The hypothesis of this study is that facet joints that are targeted for percutaneous treatment in clinical practice differ from those with reported activity on ^99mTc MDP SPECT/CT scans.     

The benefit of SPECT when added to planar scintigraphy in patients with bone metastases in the spine.

PURPOSE: This study compared the efficiency of SPECT with planar bone scans in differentiating malignant from benign lesions and in detecting metastases to the spine. METHODS: Planar scintigraphy and SPECT were performed in 37 patients with low back pain without known malignancy and in 38 patients with confirmed malignancy. The type, location, and intensity of tracer accumulation were compared on the planar and SPECT scans. The malignant or benign nature of lesions was proved by radiologic methods, histologic findings, 6 month follow-up, or all of these. RESULTS: More metastases were detected by SPECT (SPECT, 58 of 64; planar, 42 of 64; P < 0.01). In three of seven patients with known malignancy who had a normal result of planar scan, only SPECT detected metastases. Fifty-nine metastases were radiologically mainly osteolytic, one was osteoblastic and four were mixed. Most lesions showed increased radioactivity (40 of 42 on planar scans vs. 45 of 58 on SPECT) and 2 of 42 (5%) vs. 12 of 58 (21%) were cold with marginally increased uptake. One of 58 metastases was a cold lesion seen on SPECT only. Lesions were more often malignant than benign when seen on SPECT in a pedicle (n = 5; malignant = 3, benign = 2), in the body and pedicle (n = 22; malignant = 14, benign = 8), within the vertebral body (n = 5; malignant = 4, benign = 1) and in the whole vertebra (n = 6; malignant = 4, benign = 2). The lesion to background ratio was higher on SPECT than on planar scans (SPECT, 2.26; planar scans, 1.86; P < 0.05 in malignant lesions). CONCLUSIONS: SPECT of the spine improved the diagnostic accuracy of bone scans when added to a planar scan in patients with known malignancy and clinical suspicion of spinal metastases when the planar scan was borderline abnormal. It helps in differentiating between benign and malignant lesions of the spine.     

Increased sacroiliac joint uptake after lumbar fusion and/or laminectomy.

Of 753 adult patients undergoing SPECT and planar bone scintigraphy for the evaluation of low back pain, 43 (6%) showed either unilateral or bilateral increased sacroiliac joint (SIJ) uptake. Five of the 58 abnormal joints were only identified with SPECT (9%), whereas 20 of the 58 abnormal joints were much more convincingly demonstrated by SPECT (34%). Fifteen of the 43 patients with increased SIJ uptake had undergone prior lumbar laminectomy and/or spinal fusion. Such spinal surgery can increase impact loading on the SIJ, leading to mechanical overload and sacroiliitis. Degenerative joint disease, trauma, or other benign pathology accounted for the remaining patients with increased SIJ uptake. The authors conclude that for patients with a history of lumbar spinal fusion and/or laminectomy, increased SIJ uptake usually is caused by altered spinal mechanics rather than malignancy or infection.