SPECT in the management of patients with back pain and spondylolysis.
OBJECTIVE
Single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) bone scans of the lumbar spine were evaluated in the management of patients with low back pain and suspected spondylolysis.


METHODS
Thirty-three patients (mean age, 30 years) with high clinical suspicion of pars interarticularis defects were included in the study. The results of lumbar radiographs and SPECT bone scintigraphy were compared and the influence of these results on patient management was evaluated.


RESULTS
Twenty-six of the 33 patients had abnormal results of lumbar radiographs. Of the 21 patients with radiographs indicating spondylolysis, six had abnormal uptake in the pars regions on bone scintigraphy. One patient with normal results of lumbar radiographs had a SPECT bone scan showing uptake in the region of the pars interarticularis.


CONCLUSIONS
SPECT bone scanning of the lumbar spine has a role in the treatment of patients with symptomatic spondylolysis.
Dutton
J A
JA
Department of Imaging, Hammersmith Hospital, London, United Kingdom.
Hughes
S P
SP
Peters
A M
AM
D000328:Adult; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D017116:Low Back Pain / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D008297:Male; D011859:Radiography; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D013169:Spondylolysis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000628:therapy; D013669:Technetium Tc 99m Medronate; D015899:Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon
D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D013669:Technetium Tc 99m Medronate