title: The role of nuclear medicine in the evaluation of complex regional pain syndrome type I.
abstract: Chronic pain resulting from complex regional pain syndrome type I (CRPS I), formerly referred to as the reflex sympathetic dystrophy syndrome (RSDS), is a diagnostic challenge to the clinician. It involves multiple organ systems, namely peripheral as well as central nervous, vascular, soft tissue, and skeletal. It usually develops as a consequence of trauma, without nerve injury. Signs and symptoms vary depending on the time since the initiating event, and there is no confirmatory histopathologic diagnosis. This article summarizes the current consensus on the classification, pathophysiology, and diagnostic approaches, emphasizing the role of scintigraphy in the management of this multisystem disorder.
authors.affiliation: Division of Nuclear Medicine, Department of Radiology, Thomas Jefferson University Hospital, 132 S. 10th Street, Philadelphia, PA 19107, USA. charles.intenzo@jefferson.edu
authors.forename: Charles M
authors.initials: CM
authors.lastname: Intenzo
authors.forename: Sung M
authors.initials: SM
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.forename: David M
authors.initials: DM
authors.lastname: Capuzzi
mesh_terms: D001847:Bone Diseases / Q000150:complications* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D001927:Brain Diseases / Q000150:complications* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D006801:Humans; D009683:Nuclear Medicine / Q000379:methods*; D017410:Practice Guidelines as Topic; D010818:Practice Patterns, Physicians'; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging; D012019:Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000209:etiology* / Q000628:therapy; D012720:Severity of Illness Index