Skip to main content
SpringerLink
Log in

Scintigraphy of spinal disorders in adolescents

  • Review
  • Published:
Skeletal Radiology Aims and scope Submit manuscript

Abstract

Bone scintigraphy in adolescents is useful in helping to differentiate between developmental (atypical lumbar Scheuermann disease), infectious (discitis, osteomyelitis), neoplastic (osteoid osteoma, osteoblastoma), and traumatic (occult fractures, spondylolysis, pseudoarthrosis) disease of the spine. Double-phase (blood pool, delayed images) scintigraphy can characterize the pattern (i.e., linear in fracture, ovoid in nidus of osteoid osteoma). Single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) can be helpful in detecting the subtle presence of stress reaction (spondylolyses) not noted on routine planar scintigraphy and radiography. Bone scintigraphy is most beneficial when correlated with other imaging modalities in refining the diagnosis of spinal diseases.

This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.

Access this article

Log in via an institution

Price excludes VAT (USA)
Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout.

Instant access to the full article PDF.

Institutional subscriptions

Similar content being viewed by others

References

  1. Aufdermaur M, Apycher M (1986) Pathogenesis of osteochondrosis juvenilis Scheuermann. J Orthop Res 4:452

    Google Scholar 

  2. Azouz EM, Kozlowski K, Marton D, Sprague P, Zefhouni A, Asselah F (1986) Osteoid osteoma and osteoblastoma of the spine in children. Pediatr Radiol 16:25

    Google Scholar 

  3. Berry DH, Gresik MV, Humphrey GB, Straling K, Vietti T, Boyett J, Marcus R (1986) Natural history of histiocytosis X: a pediatric oncology study. Med Pediatr Oncol 14:1

    Google Scholar 

  4. Bodner RJ, Heyman S, Drummond DS, Gregg JR (1988) The use of single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) in the diagnosis of low back pain in young adults. Spine 13:1155

    Google Scholar 

  5. Bradford DS (1977) Juvenile kyphosis. Clin Orthop 128:45

    Google Scholar 

  6. Cabanna R, Springfield DS, Ruggieri P (1985) Direct cortisone injection in eosinophilic granuloma of bone: a preliminary report on 11 cases. Pediatr Orthop 5:339

    Google Scholar 

  7. Cole WG (1986) Treatment of aneurysmal bone cysts in childhood. J Pediatr Orthop 6:326

    Google Scholar 

  8. Collier BD, Johnson RP, Carrera GF, Meyer GA, Schwab JP, Flatley TJ, Isitman AT, Hellman RS, Zielonka JS, Knobel J (1985) Painful spondylolysis or spondylolisthesis studied by radiology and single-photon emission computed tomography. Radiology 154:207

    Google Scholar 

  9. Coventry MB, Ghormley RK, Kernohan JW (1945) Intervertebral disc: its microscopic anatomy and pathology. J Bone Joint Surg 27:105

    Google Scholar 

  10. Gates GF (1977) Scintigraphy of discitis. Clin Nucl Med 2:20

    Google Scholar 

  11. Ghelman B, Thompson FM, Arnold WD (1981) Intraoperative localization of osteoid osteoma. J Bone Joint Surg [Am] 63:826

    Google Scholar 

  12. Greene TL, Hensinger RN, Hunter LY (1985) Back pain and vertebral changes simulating Scheuermann's disease. J Pediatr Orthop 5:1

    Google Scholar 

  13. Haase D, Martin R, Marrie T: Radionuclide imaging in pyogenic vertebral osteomyelitis. Clin Nucl Med 5:533

  14. Hannon KM, Wetta WJ (1977) Failure of technetium bone scanning to detect pseudathroses in spinal fusion for scoliosis. Clin Orthop 123:42

    Google Scholar 

  15. Harcke HT, Conway JJ, Tachdjian MO, Dias LS, Noble HB, MacEwen MD, Weiss S (1985) Scintigraphic localization of bone lesions during surgery. Skel Radiol 13:211

    Google Scholar 

  16. Harcke HT, Larkin M, Clancy M (1980) Evaluation of spinal fusions by bone scintigraphy. abstract. J Nucl Med 21:9

    Google Scholar 

  17. Helms CA (1987) Osteoid osteoma: the double density sign. Clin Orthop 222:167

    Google Scholar 

  18. Helms CA, Hattner RS, Vogler JB, III (1984) Osteoid osteoma: a radionuclide diagnosis. Radiology 130:117

    Google Scholar 

  19. Hudson TM (1984) Scintigraphy of aneurysmal bone cysts. AJR 142:761

    Google Scholar 

  20. Ippolito E, Bellocci M, Montanaro A, Ascani E, Ponsetti IV (1985) Juvenile kyphosis: an ultrastructural study. J Pediatr Orthop 5:315

    Google Scholar 

  21. Jackson RP, Recklin FW, Mantz FA (1977) Osteoid osteoma and osteoblastoma: similar histologic lesions with different natural histories. Clin Orthop 128:304

    Google Scholar 

  22. Kagen S, Rafii M, Kramer EL (1988) Focal uptake on bone imaging in an asymptomatic Schmorl's node. Clin Nucl Med 13:615

    Google Scholar 

  23. Kettunen K, Karjalaien P (1969) External counting of radiostrontium (85Sr) in the differential diagnosis of juvenile osteochondrosis of the spine. Ann Chir Gynaecol 58:9

    Google Scholar 

  24. Makhija MC (1981) Bone scanning in aneurysmal bone cyst. Clin Nucl Med 6:500

    Google Scholar 

  25. Matin P (1979) The appearance of bone scans following fractures, including immediate and long term studies. J Nucl Med 20:1227

    Google Scholar 

  26. Norris S, Erhlich MG, McKusick K (1979) Early diagnosis of disc space infection with 67Ga in an experimental model. Clin Orthop 144:293

    Google Scholar 

  27. Ogilve JW, Sherman J (1987) Spondylolysis in Scheuermann's disease. Spine 12:251

    Google Scholar 

  28. Paanjanen H, Alanen A, Erkintalo M, Salminen JJ, Katevuo K (1989) Disc degeneration in Scheuermann disease. Skeletal Radiol 18:523

    Google Scholar 

  29. Parker BR, Pinckney L, Etcubanas E (1980) Relative efficacy of radiographic and radionuclide bone surveys in the detection of skeletal lesions of histiocytosis X. Radiology 134:377

    Google Scholar 

  30. Pennell RG, Maurer AH, Bonakdarpour A (1985) Stress injuries of the pars interarticularis: a radiologic classification and indications for scintigraphy. AJR 145:763

    Google Scholar 

  31. Ratcliffe JF (1985) Anatomic basis for the pathogenesis and radiologic features of vertebral osteomyelitis and its differentiation from childhood discitis. Acta Radiol (Diagn) 26:137

    Google Scholar 

  32. Robert H, Dubousset J, Miladi L (1987) Histiocytosis X in the juvenile spine. Spine 12:167

    Google Scholar 

  33. Rosenthal L, Hill RO, Chuang S (1976) Observations on the use of 99m Tc-phosphate imaging in peripheral bone trauma. Radiology 119:637

    Google Scholar 

  34. Schaub T, Ash JM, Gilday DL (1987) Radionuclide imaging in histiocytosis X. Pediatr Radiol 17:397

    Google Scholar 

  35. Slizofski WJ, Collier BD, Flatley TJ, Carrera GF, Hellman RS, Isitman AT (1987) Painful pseudarthrosis following lumbar spinal fusion detection by combined SPECT and planar bone scintigraphy.

  36. Sty J, Simons G (1984) Intraoperative scintigraphic localization of the nidus of osteoid osteoma. Clin Nucl Med 165:225

    Google Scholar 

  37. Wahner HW (1978) Radionuclides in the diagnosis of fracture healing. J Nucl Med 19:1356

    Google Scholar 

  38. Wenger DR, Bobechki WP, Gilday DLA (1978) The spectrum of intervertebral disc-space infection in children. J Bone Joint Surg 60:100

    Google Scholar 

Download references

Author information

Authors and Affiliations

  1. Department of Medical Imaging, Alfred I. duPont Institute, 1600 Rockland Road, 19899, Wilmington, DE, USA

    Gerald A. Mandell M.D. & H. Theodore Harcke M.D.

Authors
  1. Gerald A. Mandell M.D.
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

  2. H. Theodore Harcke M.D.
    View author publications

    You can also search for this author in PubMed Google Scholar

Rights and permissions

Reprints and permissions

About this article

Cite this article

Mandell, G.A., Harcke, H.T. Scintigraphy of spinal disorders in adolescents. Skeletal Radiol. 22, 393–401 (1993). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00538440

Download citation

  • Issue Date:

  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00538440

Key words

Search

Navigation