Title: Detection of avascular necrosis in adults by single photon emission computed tomography
Abstract: Twenty-one adult patients with the clinical diagnosis of avascular necrosis (AVN) of the femoral head were examined with planar bone scintigraphy (high resolution collimator) and single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT). The duration of hip pain ranged from 1 day to 18 months. Risk factors (including steroids, renal transplantation, alcoholism, and trauma) were present in 17 cases. A final diagnosis of AVN (20 hips), osteochondral facture, or stress fracture, was established for 17 patients. The 4 remaining patients, who were radiographically normal and did not complain of pain 3 months later, were thought to have no significant bone pathology. SPECT and planar bone scintigraphy were reported as positive for AVN only if a photopenic bony defect could be identified. In particular, uniformly increased activity throughout the femoral head was not considered to be diagnostic of AVN. The authors conclude that by identifying a photopenic defect which is not evident on planar bone scintigraphy, SPECT can contribute to accurate diagnosis of AVN.
Publication Year: 1984
Publication Date: 1984-01-01
Language: en
Type: article
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Cited By Count: 2
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