Central venous catheter detected on a routine Tc-99m MDP bone scan

ABSTRACT

A man was referred for a bone scan as part of investigation for left knee arthritis. Increased uptake in the region of the left knee was observed. Moreover, abnormal linear activities in the right border of sternum and right infraclavicular region were noted. These areas were initially interpreted as abnormal bony lesions. CXR confirmed presence of a catheter in the right brachiocephalic vein and superior vena cava and was determined that the abnormal scintigraphic findings were because of radiotracer adhesion to the indwelling central venous line[1,2]. Although it is a well-known fact for those who are familiar with nuclear medicine, but this case emphasizes again the importance of obtaining accurate clinical history prior to interpreting scintigraphic studies.