title: Fluorine-18 NaF PET imaging of child abuse.
abstract: We describe the use of 18F-NaF positron emission tomography (PET) whole-body imaging for the evaluation of skeletal trauma in a case of suspected child abuse. To our knowledge, 18F NaF PET has not been used in the past for the evaluation of child abuse. In our patient, this technique detected all sites of trauma shown by initial and follow-up skeletal surveys, including bilateral metaphyseal fractures of the proximal humeri. Fluorine-18 NaF PET has potential advantage over Tc-99m-labeled methylene diphosphonate (MDP) based upon superior image contrast and spatial resolution.
authors.affiliation: Department of Radiology, Division of Nuclear Medicine/PET, Children's Hospital Boston and Harvard Medical School, 300 Longwood Ave, Boston, MA 02115, USA. laura.drubach@childrens.harvard.edu
authors.forename: Laura A
authors.initials: LA
authors.lastname: Drubach
authors.forename: Mark V
authors.initials: MV
authors.lastname: Sapp
authors.forename: Stephen
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Laffin
authors.forename: Paul K
authors.initials: PK
authors.lastname: Kleinman
mesh_terms: D002649:Child Abuse; D003937:Diagnosis, Differential; D005462:Fluorine Radioisotopes; D006801:Humans; D006810:Humeral Fractures / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional; D007223:Infant; D008297:Male; D049268:Positron-Emission Tomography / Q000379:methods*; D012969:Sodium Fluoride
chemical_list: D005462:Fluorine Radioisotopes; D012969:Sodium Fluoride