RESUMEN
The aim of this study was to evaluate the value of skeletal scintigraphy as a predictor method of mandibular growth. We studied 47 patients, both genders, from 18 to 24 years. Patients were divided in two groups classified, by Steiner cephalometric analysis, as Class I - control group (n=13) and Class III - study group (n=34). 99mTc-MDP (200 µCi/Kg) was injected and posterior images of lumbar spine and lateral right and left mandibular scans were obtained 2 hours after endovenous administration of the radiopharmaceutical. Regions of interest (ROI) were outlined on condyles and fourth lumbar vertebra. The average number of counts per pixel in each ROI was then determined and an uptake ratio of each mandibular region and the fourth lumbar vertebra was calculated. The t Student test was used for statistical analysis where no differences were observed between the groups, although a greater uptake was seen in condylar region in the study group. Skeletal scintigraphy showed to be an useful method to assess long bone and facial growth. However, further studies are now ongoing to increase the number of patients.