[Negative bone scintigraphy in osteomyelitis in children. Difficulties in interpretation]. / La scintigraphie osseuse négative dans l'ostéomyélite de l'enfant. Difficulté d'interprétation.

The authors relate 7 cases of hematogenous osteomyelitis in children where skeletal scintigraphy with TC 99m diphosphonate was said as normal. They analyse the lack of positive radionuclide findings; misinterpretation, abnormal tracer accumulation which probably relates to regional hyperemia, transient area of discreased uptake of the tracer in the early phase of the disease and real negative bone scan; these cases are rare; when there is a high suspicion of osteomyelitis in spite of a normal bone scan Gallium imaging may be helpful.