CAN QUANTITATIVE TC-99M-MDP BONE SCANS BE USED TO PREDICT LONGITUDINAL GROWTH OF EPIPHYSEAL PLATE ALLOGRAFTS AFTER MICROVASCULAR TRANSPLANTATION - AN EXPERIMENTAL-STUDY

Allograft and autograft microvascular proximal tibial epiphyseal plate transplants were performed in female New Zealand White (NZW) rabbits to quantify the growth rate and total growth potential of immunosuppre ssed and nonimmunosuppressed rabbits. The purpose of this experiment i s to examine whether the Tc-99m-MDP radionuclide uptake of the transpl anted epiphyseal plate at 1 week postoperatively, done to assess anast omotic patency of the transplant, could also serve as a predictor of e ventual longitudinal growth of the transplant or replant. All transpla nts and replants demonstrating positive Tc-99m-MDP uptake in the proxi ma[ tibial epiphyseal plate at 1 week showed continued longitudinal gr owth. The precise amount of Tc-99m-MDP uptake, however, did not correl ate with the amount of growth at 3 and 5 weeks follow-up. (C) 1995 Wil ey-Liss, Inc.