title: SPECT/Spiral-CT hybrid imaging in unclear foci of increased bone metabolism: a case report.
abstract: In bone scintigraphy, the differentiation between degenerative processes and bone metastases is still difficult. Therefore, additional radiological studies are regularly needed after bone scintigraphy. The now introduced hybrid-cameras combining single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) and spiral-CT are unique in the sense that they offer the opportunity to correlate the functional information with morphology in one session. We herein present two patients in whom this technological setup allowed a definite diagnosis in scintigraphically unclear vertebral lesions. In a patient with breast cancer, hypermetabolic lesions were clearly correlated with osteolyses. In another patient with synovial carcinoma, spondylosis and spondylarthrosis caused focal tracer uptake in the lumbar spine. In addition to an improved diagnostic accuracy, SPECT/Spiral-CT will considerably abbreviate the diagnostic process.
authors.affiliation: Nuklearmedizinische Klinik, Friedrich-Alexander-Universität Erlangen/Nürnberg, Erlangen. wolfgang.roemer@nuklear.imed.uni-erlangen.de
authors.forename: Wolfgang
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Römer
authors.forename: Matthias W
authors.initials: MW
authors.lastname: Beckmann
authors.forename: Raimund
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Forst
authors.forename: Werner
authors.initials: W
authors.lastname: Bautz
authors.forename: Torsten
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Kuwert
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D001847:Bone Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis*; D001859:Bone Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000556:secondary*; D001943:Breast Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007089:Image Enhancement / Q000295:instrumentation*; D007091:Image Processing, Computer-Assisted / Q000295:instrumentation*; D008159:Lumbar Vertebrae / Q000473:pathology; D008683:Metatarsophalangeal Joint / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008875:Middle Aged; D010014:Osteolysis / Q000209:etiology*; D013584:Sarcoma, Synovial / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000556:secondary; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013122:Spinal Diseases / Q000175:diagnosis*; D013125:Spinal Neoplasms / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000556:secondary*; D013673:Technology Assessment, Biomedical; D015899:Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon; D036542:Tomography, Spiral Computed