The scintigraphic evaluation of hip pain in children.
Thirty-eight patients (28 boys and 10 girls) with hip pain were referred for bone scans. In 7 of 8 with Legg-Calvé-Perthes disease, there was decreased uptake of the radiopharmaceutical in the proximal femoral epiphysis; the other had radiographic evidence of joint destruction and showed increased uptake. Three patients with abnormal scans had normal x-rays with Gaucher's disease, toxic synovitis, and Legg-Calvé-Perthes disease, respectively. One patient with avascular necrosis associated with steroid therapy had increased uptake, possibly due to revascularization. Those with toxic synovitis had either normal bone scans for showed a slight generalized increase around the hip joint. It is speculated that the latter may represent those who later present with Legg-Calvé-Perthes. The bone scan is useful for the early detection of Legg-Calvé-Perthes disease in patients with hip pain.
D000293:Adolescent; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D006615:Hip / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006621:Hip Joint / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006801:Humans; D007873:Legg-Calve-Perthes Disease / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008297:Male; D010146:Pain; D011859:Radiography; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging; D013585:Synovitis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging