Comparison and discrepancy of 18F-2-deoxyglucose positron emission tomography and Tc-99m MDP bone scan to detect bone metastases

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the usefulness of positron emissi on tomography with 18F-2-deoxyglucose (FDG-PET) for the detection of malign ant bone metastases, and to compare FDC-PET results with conventional techn etium-99m methylene diophosphate (Tc-99m MDP) bone scan findings. Twenty-fo ur patients (10 females, 14 males, ages: 39 - 71 years) with biopsy-proven malignancy and suspected bone metastases, underwent whole body FDG-PET and bone scan to defect bone metastases. Bone metastases were established in 39 discordant bone lesions by histopathological examination of biopsy samples , MRI/CT, and follow-tip bone scan/FDG-PET findings showing progressively a nd extensively widespread bone lesions. A total of 98 bone lesions found on either FDG-PET or bone scan were evaluated For 39 bone lesions with discor dant findings between FDG-PET and bone scan, histopathological examination MRI/CT and follow-up bone scan/FDG-PET findings revealed 8 metastatic and 0 benign bone lesions with positive FDG-PET findings, not detected on bone s can. Eleven metastatic and 20 benign bone lesions with positive bone scan f indings were not detected on FDG-PET. FDG-PET has a better specificity, but a lower sensitivity for detecting malignant bone metastases when compared with bone scan.