Potentially misleading bone scan findings in patients with hepatoblastoma.
Eleven patients who underwent nuclear medicine bone scanning were reviewed to determine the incidence of bone scan abnormalities associated with hepatoblastoma. Of these, six patients had abnormal bone scan findings--four with focal involvement. Correlating plain radiographs and/or follow-up nuclear bone scans were available for three of these four. All plain films indicated the presence of osteoporosis. Follow-up scans showed improvement or resolution of abnormalities. None of the patients had documented metastatic bone disease. While there has been no prior reported association, the authors attribute the abnormal bone scan findings to a paraneoplastic syndrome of osteoporosis associated with this primary tumor. They conclude that bone scanning is not routinely indicated in the initial diagnostic staging of hepatoblastoma.
Archer
D
D
Department of Diagnostic Imaging, Hospital For Sick Children, Toronto, Ontario, Canada.
Babyn
P
P
Gilday
D
D
Greenberg
M A
MA
D001859:Bone Neoplasms / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000556:secondary*; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D005260:Female; D018197:Hepatoblastoma / Q000473:pathology*; D006801:Humans; D007223:Infant; D008113:Liver Neoplasms / Q000473:pathology*; D008297:Male; D010024:Osteoporosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging; D013669:Technetium Tc 99m Medronate
D013669:Technetium Tc 99m Medronate