The value of early postoperative bone scan in slipped capital femoral epiphysis

The purpose of this study was to evaluate the sensitivity and predictive va lue of early postoperative bone scan for detection of avascular necrosis (A VN) of the femoral head after surgical treatment of slipped capital femoral epiphysis. We reviewed records of 49 patients (64 hips) operated on betwee n 1980 and 1997 with a mean follow-up of 3 years. Sixty-one out of 64 hips went through an early postoperative bone scan. The three hips that develope d AVN showed significant loss of radionuclide uptake. There were neither fa lse-positive or false-negative cases in this series. Early postoperative bo ne scan has an excellent sensitivity and predictive value for detection of AVN after surgical treatment of slipped capital femoral epiphysis.