title: Osteodystrophy in liver cirrhosis: detection and treatment evaluation using 99Tcm methylene diphosphonate bone scintigraphy.
abstract: To investigate osteodystrophy in liver cirrhosis, 99Tcm MDP (methylene diphosphonate) bone scintigraphy was performed on 36 patients with liver cirrhosis. Abnormal lesions were detected in 17 out of 36 scans (47.2%). On the other hand, areas of increased uptake were uncommon in patients with chronic active hepatitis (1/11 cases). Plasma vitamin D3 fractions [25(OH)D3, 24.25(OH)2D3 and 1.25(OH)2D3] were decreased. Statistically significant depletion of 1.25(OH)2D3 was observed in cases with positive bone scintigraphy. 1 alpha(OH)D3 (1-2 micrograms/day) was administered for 6 months to nine patients having abnormal bone scans. Six of them showed improvement without any apparent side-effects. We conclude that hepatic cirrhotic osteodystrophy can be diagnosed positively by 99Tcm MDP bone scintigraphy and can be treated accordingly.
authors.affiliation: Division of Gastroenterology, Tokyo Metropolitan Police Hospital, Japan.
authors.forename: S
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Sezai
authors.forename: M
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Hirano
authors.forename: T
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Iwase
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001851:Bone Diseases, Metabolic / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000209:etiology; D002762:Cholecalciferol / Q000097:blood; D005069:Evaluation Studies as Topic; D005260:Female; D006521:Hepatitis, Chronic / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006801:Humans; D006887:Hydroxycholecalciferols / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008103:Liver Cirrhosis / Q000097:blood / Q000150:complications*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging; D012272:Ribs / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D013131:Spine / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D013669:Technetium Tc 99m Medronate
chemical_list: D006887:Hydroxycholecalciferols; D002762:Cholecalciferol; C008088:alfacalcidol; D013669:Technetium Tc 99m Medronate