Bone scintigraphy in osteosarcoma: a single institution experience

J Pediatr Hematol Oncol. 2014 Nov;36(8):e543-5. doi: 10.1097/MPH.0000000000000182.

Abstract

Bone scintigraphy is a well-established method to evaluate for metastatic disease in osteosarcoma. We identified a patient who had a negative (cold) bone scan at skeletal relapse and consequently reviewed the frequency of cold scans in osteosarcoma at our institution. No cold scans were identified at diagnosis, and only 1 patient had a cold scan at skeletal recurrence. No correlation was identified between clinical outcomes and bone scan features, other than identification of metastatic disease. Patients with skeletal recurrence were all symptomatic, thus we suggest that bone scintigraphy is not indicated in routine postchemotherapy surveillance for patients with osteosarcoma.

MeSH terms

  • Adolescent
  • Bone Neoplasms / diagnostic imaging*
  • Bone Neoplasms / drug therapy
  • Bone Neoplasms / pathology*
  • Child
  • Child, Preschool
  • Drug Monitoring / methods
  • Female
  • Humans
  • Male
  • Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / diagnostic imaging
  • Neoplasm Recurrence, Local / pathology
  • Osteosarcoma / diagnostic imaging*
  • Osteosarcoma / drug therapy
  • Osteosarcoma / secondary*
  • Radionuclide Imaging
  • Retrospective Studies