The value of Tc99m-diphosphonate (HEDSPA) as a skeletal scanning agent

Facial bone scintigraphy. VI. Practical clinical use in inflammatory disorders of the maxillary sinus

Facial bone scintigraphy with 99Tcm-DP was compared with radiographic examination of the maxillary sinuses in a clinical routine series of patients considered to have inflammatory disorders of the maxillary sinus. Scintigraphy correlated better to the presence of purulent inflammatory lesion than did radiography. Bone tissue reaction is almost mandatory for the diagnosis of purulent maxillary inflammatory disorder.

Facial bone scintigraphy. V. Differentiation of purulent from non-purulent inflammation of the maxillary sinus

In a series of 25 patients 20 had a maxillary sinus not containing air at radiography, in 11 due to purulent and in 9 to non-purulent inflammatory lesion. At scintigraphy a definitely abnormal, high uptake of 99TcmDP was found in 10 and a probably high accumulation in one of the 11 with purulent sinuitis. Of the 9 patients with non-purulent inflammation 5 had a definitely normal and 4 a probably normal uptake. Thus, a differentiation between purulent and non-purulent sinuitis would seem to be possible by means of facial bone scintigraphy.

Facial bone scintigraphy. IV. Diagnosis of bone involvement by purulent sinusitis

Facial bone scintigraphy demonstrated bone tissue involvement by purulent maxillary sinuitis in 11 patients examined. In no case was bone involvement demonstrated by radiography. Bone scintigraphy in this respect appears more sensitive than does conventional radiography.

Facial bone scintigraphy. II. Diagnostic potential in neoplastic and inflammatory lesions

From a series of about 200 facial bone scintigraphies, 32 patients were selected to demonstrate the uptake of 99Tcm-diphosphonate in various inflammatory and neoplastic diseases in the sinuses and oral cavity. The method was found of value in separating patients with inflammatory involvement of the bone from those without, as well as in assessing possible bone involvement in malignant lesions.