IN-111 WBC IMAGING OF OSTEOMYELITIS IN PATIENTS WITH UNDERLYING BONE-SCAN ABNORMALITIES

One hundred seven combined In-ill WBC/Tc-99m MDP scans performed on 87 patients with a high clinical suspicion of osteomyelitis were retrosp ectively reviewed, An 86% sensitivity and a 94% specificity for detect ing osteomyelitis were found, In addition, patients were grouped into one of five clinical settings for more detailed analysis: diabetic ost eoarthropathy, previous arthroplasty, fracture, overlying skin ulcer, and other etiology, Forty-seven studies were performed while patients received antibiotic therapy without loss of sensitivity for detecting osteomyelitis. Results obtained with scintigraphy compared favorably t o other imaging and laboratory studies used to detect osteomyelitis. I n conclusion, the combined In-111 WBC/Tc-99m MDP scan is a very sensit ive end specific method to detect osteomyelitis in patients with concu rrent diabetic osteoarthropathy, fracture, postoperative healing, and overlying skin ulcer, Antibiotic treatment does not appear to adversel y affect the sensitivity of these scans.