PATTERNS OF ABNORMALITY ON BONE SCANS IN ACUTE CHILDHOOD LEUKEMIA

Bone scintigraphy is not performed routinely in the diagnostic work-up of children with leukemia; however, the initial diagnosis of childhoo d leukemia is often difficult to make and may be delayed. Patients may present with fever and skeletal symptoms and, in such cases, bone sci ntigraphy may be requested in the early search for a diagnosis. Recogn ition of the potential scintigraphic abnormalities that result from le ukemic infiltration of bone and bone marrow will often facilitate an e arly diagnosis of leukemia. Bone scans also play a role in detecting o steomyelitis in the immunosuppressed leukemic child with fever and bon e pain. This article presents four patients illustrating the salient f eatures of bone scintigraphy in these clinical settings.