title: Transient photopenia of the femoral head following arthrography.
abstract: In cases of suspected sepsis of the hip, a negative arthrocentesis may precede bone scintigraphy. Routine instillation of contrast material and air for localization and characterization of the hip joint was observed to produce a transient photopenic femoral head on bone scintigraphy. The photopenia, related to venous tamponade created by the temporarily increased intra-articular pressure of the arthrogram, occurs when the isotopic study is performed within a half hour of the arthrocentesis. The cases of four children suspected of having septic arthritis and/or osteomyelitis and ranging in age from 2 to 19 years are presented to illustrate the temporal relationship of reversible femoral head photopenia with sequential arthrocentesis and bone scintigraphy.
authors.affiliation: Department of Medical Imaging, Alfred I. duPont Institute, Wilmington, Delaware.
authors.forename: G A
authors.initials: GA
authors.lastname: Mandell
authors.forename: H T
authors.initials: HT
authors.lastname: Harcke
authors.forename: J R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Bowen
authors.forename: C A
authors.initials: CA
authors.lastname: Sharkey
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001175:Arthrography / Q000009:adverse effects*; D001424:Bacterial Infections / Q000175:diagnosis*; D001707:Biopsy, Needle / Q000009:adverse effects; D001842:Bone and Bones / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002910:Chronology as Topic; D005260:Female; D005270:Femur Head / Q000098:blood supply*; D006621:Hip Joint / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D006801:Humans; D007511:Ischemia / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology*; D008297:Male; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging