title: Bone scan findings in metastatic calcification from calciphylaxis.
abstract: A 51-year-old woman on peritoneal dialysis for chronic renal failure secondary to diabetic and nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drug nephropathy was referred for a Tc-99m MDP bone scan to assess firm subcutaneous plaques in the sacral and gluteal regions. This showed extensive superficial tracer localization in the subcutaneous tissues as well as visceral tracer activity in the myocardium, lungs, stomach, and kidneys. These findings were typical for calciphylaxis (calcific uremic arteriolopathy), a form of metastatic calcification encountered in patients with chronic renal failure that is characterized by subcutaneous soft tissue calcification, painful ulcerations, high morbidity, and mortality. Treatment with sodium thiosulfate resulted in dramatic scintigraphic improvement.
authors.affiliation: Section of Nuclear Medicine, University of Manitoba, Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.
authors.forename: Sushane
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Soni
authors.forename: William D
authors.initials: WD
authors.lastname: Leslie
mesh_terms: D001842:Bone and Bones / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology*; D002114:Calcinosis / Q000175:diagnosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D002115:Calciphylaxis / Q000175:diagnosis* / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D007511:Ischemia; D007676:Kidney Failure, Chronic / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging; D008875:Middle Aged; D009336:Necrosis; D009362:Neoplasm Metastasis; D011877:Radionuclide Imaging / Q000379:methods; D013669:Technetium Tc 99m Medronate / Q000494:pharmacology*; D013885:Thiosulfates / Q000494:pharmacology; D014018:Tissue Distribution
chemical_list: D013885:Thiosulfates; C017717:sodium thiosulfate; D013669:Technetium Tc 99m Medronate