Multimodality imaging of early heterotopic bone formation.

An atypical heterotopic bone formation that was difficult to diagnose presented in a young paraplegic patient as an acute deep vein thrombosis. A number of imaging methods, including contrast venography, ultrasonography, conventional radiography, bone scanning, leukocyte scanning, computed tomography, and magnetic resonance imaging, were used to arrive eventually at the final diagnosis. Early bone scanning remains a sensitive and effective method of diagnosis. Computed tomography can be useful in difficult cases, but the role of other imaging studies appears limited.

Cerebral perfusion imaging with technetium-99m HM-PAO in brain death and severe central nervous system injury.

We performed 38 cerebral perfusion studies in 33 patients with brain death or with severe central nervous system injury using technetium-99m hexamethyl-propyleneamine oxime [( 99mTc]HM-PAO). Uptake by the cerebrum and/or cerebellium was present in all patients who were not clinically brain dead (ten studies) although the study was often abnormal. In those patients who were brain dead, 16/17 studies demonstrated no uptake in either the cerebrum or cerebellum. In patients suspected of brain death, but who had conditions interfering with the diagnosis the test demonstrated no uptake in 9/11 studies, confirming brain death. A radionuclide angiogram (RNA) of the head was also performed in 33/38 studies and showed complete agreement with the [99mTc]HM-PAO uptake, except in one case. We conclude that cerebral perfusion imaging with [99mTc]HM-PAO is a simple, noninvasive and reliable test to confirm brain death. By comparison with conventional technetium agents, [99mTc]HM-PAO is not dependent on the quality of the bolus injection, is easier to interpret and allows evaluation of posterior fossa blood flow.

Bone scintigraphy of hip joint effusions in children.

Thirty-eight children with hip pain of acute onset were studied by bone scintigraphy. Nine patients had diminished radiotracer deposition involving the entire proximal femoral ossification center. This could be related to infarction or compression of the blood supply by a tense joint effusion. Eight of these patients had joint aspiration confirming the presence of an effusion. Five patients had follow-up studies after aspiration, and femoral-head uptake reverted to normal in all but one which subsequently proved to be infarcted. A photopenic zone was seen on blood pool images in 10 patients, many of whom were also aspirated of fluid. Bone scintigraphy is useful in the diagnosis of joint effusions and can give information as to the state of perfusion of the femoral head. Follow-up studies after aspiration can differentiate infarction from reversible ischemia.