technetium-tc-99m-medronate and Abdominal-Pain

Pancreatitis, panniculitis, and polyarthritis syndrome is a rare disease. A 49-year-old man recently complained of bilateral ankle and epigastric pain. An ankle x-ray showed subcutaneous soft tissue swelling. Subsequent 99mTc-MDP bone scan showed foci of abnormal activity around joints in all extremities, especially in the knees and ankles. In addition, multiple nodular calcifications in the head of the pancreas were found in the abdominal CT scan. The patient also had increased blood amylase and lipase. The symptoms were resolved after the treatment of his pancreatitis.

Topics: Abdominal Pain; Arthritis; Humans; Male; Middle Aged; Pancreatitis; Panniculitis; Technetium Tc 99m Medronate; Tomography, X-Ray Computed

In a 15-year-old girl with pain in the right lower abdomen and a 9-year-old boy with pain in the left thigh, an elevated sedimentation rate and C-reactive protein were reason to suspect osteomyelitis. Although no abnormalities could be seen on X-rays, skeletal scintigraphy revealed pathology in Liv-v and the sacroiliac joint, respectively. In the girl, Staphylococcus aureus was cultivated from material obtained by puncture and biopsy. After treatment with antibiotics, rest and gradual mobilisation, the girl retained a scoliosis; the boy was cured without residual complaints or abnormalities. Osteomyelitis of the spine and sacroiliac joint are rare disorders in children. The subtle and non-specific symptoms sometimes make the diagnosis difficult. Conventional X-ray is the primary radiological investigation. Bone scintigraphy (99mTc-oxidronate) is useful in the initial evaluation of children with suspected osteomyelitis. It is sensitive, relatively inexpensive, often does not require sedation and can detect multiple foci of disease. MRI is also highly sensitive and more specific than bone scintigraphy, but it cannot be used as a screening technique when the site of pathology is unclear. MRI is useful when the bone scintigram is inconclusive and in complicated cases for better anatomic details.

Topics: Abdominal Pain; Adolescent; Anti-Bacterial Agents; Child; Diagnosis, Differential; Female; Humans; Lumbar Vertebrae; Magnetic Resonance Imaging; Male; Osteomyelitis; Prognosis; Radionuclide Imaging; Sacroiliac Joint; Staphylococcal Infections; Technetium Tc 99m Medronate; Tomography, X-Ray Computed