title: The value of bone scintigraphy in the evaluation of osteoporotic patients with back pain.
abstract: We evaluated the role of bone scintigraphy in 60 osteoporotic patients with back pain. Thirty-four had scintigraphic evidence of vertebral fracture and were found to have a significantly lower bone density compared to those without fractures (p = 0.01). In only 14 patients was vertebral fracture considered to be the sole cause of pain with 38 having alternative abnormalities, the most common of which was facet joint disease (n = 30). Results of bone scintigraphy influenced a direct change in management in 18 patients and were able to exclude vertebral fracture as a cause of symptoms in 30. In symptomatic osteoporotic patients the bone scan may be helpful in elucidating the etiology of back pain and can impact on patient management.
mesh_terms: D001416:Back Pain / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000209:etiology; D015519:Bone Density; D005272:Femur Neck / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D006801:Humans; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008875:Middle Aged; D010024:Osteoporosis / Q000150:complications / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D016103:Spinal Fractures / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000209:etiology; D013669:Technetium Tc 99m Medronate; D015899:Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon
chemical_list: D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D013669:Technetium Tc 99m Medronate