RESUMEN
A vast spectrum of lower limb bone and joint disorders (hip, knee, ankle, foot) present with a common clinical presentation: limping. Too often this symptom generates an inefficient cascade of imaging studies. This review attempts to optimise the diagnostic effectiveness of bone scintigraphy using the hybrid SPECT/CT technique in relation to the diagnostic clues provided by other imaging modalities, discusses the appropriate clinical indications, optimal scintigraphic procedures and illustrates updated image pattern-oriented reporting. Frequent lower limb bone and joint pathologies that can now be reliably diagnosed using hybrid bone SPECT/CT imaging will be reviewed. Bone SPECT/CT can be an effective problem-solving tool in patients with persistent limping when careful history taking, clinical examination, and first-line imaging modalities fail to identify the underlying cause.
RESUMEN
PURPOSE: The radionuclide bone scan is the cornerstone of skeletal nuclear medicine imaging. Bone scintigraphy is a highly sensitive diagnostic nuclear medicine imaging technique that uses a radiotracer to evaluate the distribution of active bone formation in the skeleton related to malignant and benign disease, as well as physiological processes. METHODS: The European Association of Nuclear Medicine (EANM) has written and approved these guidelines to promote the use of nuclear medicine procedures of high quality. CONCLUSION: The present guidelines offer assistance to nuclear medicine practitioners in optimizing the diagnostic procedure and interpreting bone scintigraphy. These guidelines describe the protocols that are currently accepted and used routinely, but do not include all existing procedures. They should therefore not be taken as exclusive of other nuclear medicine modalities that can be used to obtain comparable results. It is important to remember that the resources and facilities available for patient care may vary.