首页 | 本学科首页   官方微博 | 高级检索  
     


The bullhead sign: scintigraphic pattern of sternocostoclavicular hyperostosis and pustulotic arthroosteitis
Authors:J. Freyschmidt  A. Sternberg
Affiliation:(1) Department of Radiology, Zentralkrankenhaus, St.-Jürgen-Strasse, D-28 205 Bremen, Germany, DE
Abstract:Objective: The purpose of this retrospective study was to examine the value of whole-body nuclear medicine imaging and to evaluate the typical scintigraphic pattern of sternocostoclavicular hyperostosis (SCCH) and/or pustulotic arthroosteitis (PAO). In this entity the correct diagnosis is frequently missed because of uncharacteristic changes in other imaging modalities. Materials and methods: Forty-nine patients (age range 15–65 years old, mean age 36 years) with sternocostoclavicular hyperostosis (SCCH) and/or pustulotic arthroosteitis (PAO) were examined with whole-body scintigraphy and conventional radiography. Results: Forty-three of 49 patients with SCCH/PAO showed a characteristic “bullhead”-like high tracer uptake of the sternocostoclavicular region with the manubrium sterni representing the upper skull and the inflamed sternoclavicular joints corresponding to the horns (= bullhead sign). Scintigraphy revealed additional skeletal manifestations (spondylitis, sacroiliitis, osteitis) in 33 of 49 patients with SCCH and/or PAO. Conclusions: Bone scintigraphy is the imaging modality of choice for the diagnosis of skeletal involvement in PAO. Nuclear medicine reveals unexpected locations and shows the typical pattern of focal hot spots of the spine, sacroiliac joints and/or appendicular skeleton in the large majority of cases in combination with a bullhead-like tracer uptake of the sternocostoclavicular region. The bullhead sign is the typical and highly specific scintigraphic manifestation of SCCH and PAO in radionuclide bone scans and helps to avoid unnecessary biopsies. Received 16 June 1997; Revision received 28 August 1997; Accepted 10 November 1997
Keywords:: Bone scintigraphy  Pustulotic arthroosteitis  Palmoplantar pustulosis  Sternocostoclavicular hyperostosis
本文献已被 SpringerLink 等数据库收录!
设为首页 | 免责声明 | 关于勤云 | 加入收藏

Copyright©北京勤云科技发展有限公司  京ICP备09084417号