Gamma probe localization of cranial bone lesions

Purpose: Staging of cancer is essential to formulate appropriate treatment plans and to help predict prognosis. A solitary region of increased radionu clide uptake (''hot spot") on a bone scan may represent a metastasis or a m asquerading lesion. Biopsy may be required to determine its histologic natu re, but localization of the site may be difficult because bone scans provid e poor spatial resolution. Methods: In two patients with breast carcinoma, radioactive technetium was administered intravenously and a gamma probe was used preoperatively and in traoperatively to identify the site of cranial bone involvement. Results: T he lesions were resected; one was a benign fibro-osseous lesion and one was a metastatic breast adenocarcinoma. Conclusions: A gamma probe may be helpful in localizing the site of radioac tive uptake identified by bone scan.