Sequential scintimetry after femoral neck fracture. Methodologic aspects and prediction of healing complications.
Forty-five patients with recent cervical hip fractures were included in a prospective, clinical, radiographic and sequential scintimetric study. Striking changes in radionuclide uptake over the entire hip region on the fracture side were found during the first 5 postoperative months. Fractures that healed without complications showed the highest relative femoral head uptake at 1 week and a peak value at 6 weeks, followed by a gradual decline at the subsequent examinations. Fractures with complications (redisplacement, nonunion, or late segmental collapse) showed a lower initial uptake and a more gradual increase and only a slight tendency towards increased uptake after 3 months. The accuracy in predicting nonunion with scintimetric examination alone is high both at 1 and at 6 weeks, and the accuracy is almost equally high with combined scintimetric, radiographic, and clinical assessment 3-5 months postoperatively.
D000368:Aged; D005260:Female; D005265:Femoral Neck Fractures / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000601:surgery; D005270:Femur Head / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D005272:Femur Neck / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D005500:Follow-Up Studies; D005599:Fractures, Ununited / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006615:Hip / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D011379:Prognosis; D011446:Prospective Studies; D011859:Radiography; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging; D013669:Technetium Tc 99m Medronate; D013997:Time Factors; D014945:Wound Healing
D013669:Technetium Tc 99m Medronate