sodium-pertechnetate-tc-99m and Spondylitis--Ankylosing

Temporomandibular joints are involved in Bechterew's diseases in 59.6% of cases, more often in the peripheral form of the disease. Involvement at the debut of the disease was observed in 33.3%, including monoarthritis in 28.6%. The incidence of these lesions correlated with involvement of the hip, knee, and ankle joints. Unstable symmetrical arthritides with early rigidity predominate in the clinical picture. Extraarticular symptoms, such as defiguration, tenosynovitis, are typical. X-ray examination reveals pseudodilatation of the joint fissure, periarticular osteosclerosis, ossification of the ligaments, early ankylosis without predestruction. Erosive changes of the temporomandibular joint are not typical. Scintigraphy with pertechnephore is an informative method for ruling out other diseases of the temporomandibular joint.

Topics: Cephalometry; Chronic Disease; Female; Humans; Male; Radiography, Panoramic; Radionuclide Imaging; Sodium Pertechnetate Tc 99m; Spondylitis, Ankylosing; Temporomandibular Joint; Temporomandibular Joint Disorders

Radionuclide joint imaging with the technetium-99m-labeled phosphates is a sensitive technique for the detection of inflammatory articular disease, although it is nonspecific as to the cause of the increased uptake and offers poor resolution in comparison to conventional radiography. There does not appear to be any place for the routine use of joint imaging of the peripheral joints, as there is little evidence that it benefits patient management. Scintigraphy is of benefit in the detection of osteomyelitis, Legg-Perthes' disease, and osteonecrosis, where changes may antedate roentgenologic abnormalities. Technetium-99m-phosphates may have an increasing role in the evaluation of knee and hip prosthetic joint loosening and infection, especially regarding the femoral components. Scintigraphy may be useful in excluding synovitis and allaying concern in selected patients with chronic articular pain in whom a conventional diagnostic evaluation is unrewarding. Attempts have been made to use radionuclide joint imaging to quantitate the degree of synovitis present in individual joints, particularly the sacroiliac joints. To date, reliable methods that distinguish normal from abnormal joints have not been established, although this remains an area of potential usefulness and active research. Scintigraphy with 99mTc-phosphates is useful in the detection of spinal fracture and pseudoarthrosis in individuals with ankylosing spondylitis.

Topics: Adult; Arthritis; Bone Neoplasms; Child; Diphosphates; Diphosphonates; Female; Gallium Radioisotopes; Humans; Joint Diseases; Legg-Calve-Perthes Disease; Male; Middle Aged; Osteoarthritis; Osteomyelitis; Radionuclide Imaging; Sodium Pertechnetate Tc 99m; Spondylitis, Ankylosing; Synovitis; Technetium; Technetium Compounds; Technetium Tc 99m Medronate; Technetium Tc 99m Pyrophosphate