title: 99mTc-depreotide in the evaluation of bone infection and inflammation.
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  (99m)Tc-depreotide is a (99m)Tc-labelled somatostatin analogue, with high affinity for the 2, 3 and 5 subtypes of somatostatin receptors. These particular receptors are over-expressed on the surface of activated leucocytes, which mediate inflammatory response. Based on this property this study tried to investigate whether (99m)Tc-depreotide scintigraphy could be a useful complementary method in the investigation of bone infection and inflammation.
  
  
  METHODS
  Twenty-three patients, who were investigated for probable osteomyelitis, underwent three-phase bone scintigraphy followed by (99m)Tc-depreotide scintigraphy. Clinical and laboratory findings, complementary imaging procedures, clinical follow-up and bone biopsy established the final diagnosis. (99m)Tc-depreotide scintigraphy was performed 3 h after the intravenous administration of 555-740 MBq of the radiopharmaceutical. Scintigraphic images were, at first, blindly interpreted alone and then in comparative assessment with bone scans.
  
  
  RESULTS
  (99m)Tc-depreotide was positive in 12/12 cases of active osteomyelitis, one case of recent femoral head osteonecrosis and 6/9 rheumatoid arthritis sites. Negative (99m)Tc-depreotide scans were acquired in five cases of 'no-inflammation' (an uncomplicated fracture, an aseptic loosening of prosthesis, an old osteonecrosis, a healed and a successfully treated osteomyelitis), as well as in 14/14 total sites of degenerative arthritis-osteoarthropathy. In five cases (septic arthritis, periodontal and soft tissue infections) (99m)Tc-depreotide was positive, though spatially discordant with bone scintigraphy, delineating precisely the focus of infection.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  (99m)Tc-depreotide can be a useful complementary imaging method in the evaluation of bone infection and inflammation. Its combination with three-phase bone scintigraphy seems to be accurate in localizing the infection foci and determining the activity of the inflammatory processes.
authors: Nuclear Medicine Department, Evangelismos General Hospital, Athens, Greece.
authors: Nikolaos D
authors: ND
authors: Papathanasiou
authors: Phivi E
authors: PE
authors: Rondogianni
authors: Nikoletta K
authors: NK
authors: Pianou
authors: Pinelopi A
authors: PA
authors: Karampina
authors: Evangelia A
authors: EA
authors: Vlontzou
authors: Ioannis E
authors: IE
authors: Datseris
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D000369:Aged, 80 and over; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007089:Image Enhancement / Q000379:methods*; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D015609:Organotechnetium Compounds; D010000:Osteitis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D010019:Osteomyelitis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D015203:Reproducibility of Results; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D016037:Single-Blind Method; D013004:Somatostatin / Q000031:analogs & derivatives*; D013669:Technetium Tc 99m Medronate
chemical_list: D015609:Organotechnetium Compounds; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D013004:Somatostatin; C444119:technetium Tc 99m depreotide; D013669:Technetium Tc 99m Medronate