title: Infecton is not specific for bacterial osteo-articular infective pathology.
abstract: The aim of this study was to re-examine, by retrospective analysis of our case material, the specificity and sensitivity of technetium-99m ciprofloxacin scan in discriminating between infection and other conditions. (99m)Tc-ciprofloxacin scintigraphy was performed in 71 patients: 30 patients referred for suspicion of osteomyelitis (OM) or septic arthritis (SA) (group 1) and 41 controls (group 2). Imaging was performed at 4 h post injection and, when possible, at 8 or 24 h post injection. Tracer uptake was visually assessed in different joint groups, and in the sites suspicious for infection. Several soft tissue sites were also evaluated. In the group referred for osteo-articular infection, we found a lower specificity (54.5%) than has previously been reported in the literature. Evaluation of tracer uptake at late imaging did not improve discrimination between sterile and non-sterile inflammation. Additionally, articular uptake was seen in many control patients. Infecton uptake in growth cartilage, thyroid gland, vascular pool, lungs, liver and intestines is discussed.
authors.affiliation: Division of Nuclear Medicine, Université Libre de Bruxelles - Hôpital Erasme, 808 Route de Lennik, 1070 Brussels, Belgium, ndumarey@netscape.net
authors.forename: Nicolas
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Dumarey
authors.forename: Didier
authors.initials: D
authors.lastname: Blocklet
authors.forename: Thierry
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Appelboom
authors.forename: Laure
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: Tant
authors.forename: André
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Schoutens
mesh_terms: D000293:Adolescent; D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D001170:Arthritis, Infectious / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D002648:Child; D002675:Child, Preschool; D002939:Ciprofloxacin / Q000031:analogs & derivatives* / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005188:False Negative Reactions; D005189:False Positive Reactions; D005260:Female; D005356:Fibromyalgia / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006801:Humans; D007231:Infant, Newborn; D007405:Intervertebral Disc Displacement / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D007596:Joints / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D007668:Kidney / Q000378:metabolism; D008099:Liver / Q000378:metabolism; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015609:Organotechnetium Compounds / Q000493:pharmacokinetics*; D010003:Osteoarthritis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D010019:Osteomyelitis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals / Q000493:pharmacokinetics; D012016:Reference Values; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013961:Thyroid Gland / Q000378:metabolism; D014552:Urinary Tract Infections / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging
chemical_list: D015609:Organotechnetium Compounds; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; C431804:Technetium Tc 99m ciprofloxacin; D002939:Ciprofloxacin