title: SPECT-CT with 67Ga-citrate in the management of spondylodiscitis.
abstract: Spondylodiscitis affects a small proportion of all patients with locomotor system infections, however its early diagnosis is important due to its potential morbidity. Magnetic resonance imaging is the diagnostic method of choice. Nonetheless, it has certain limitations and is not suitable for all patients. The conventional scintigraphic studies for evaluating spondylodiscitis are those performed with (99m)Tc-HDP and (67)Ga-citrate. However, their poor image resolution is a disadvantage of these techniques. The use of hybrid Single Photon Emission Computed Tomography-Computed Tomography (SPECT-CT) improves detection of the disease by combining functional and anatomical images. We present 9 patients with suspicion of spondylodiscitis who underwent sequential bone scintigraphy with (99m)Tc-HDP and SPECT-CT with (67)Ga-citrate, with positive findings confirmed by clinical monitoring for at least 6 months.
authors.affiliation: Servicio de Medicina Nuclear, Hospital Universitario Infanta Cristina, Badajoz, España. mluzovi@yahoo.es
authors.forename: M L
authors.initials: ML
authors.lastname: Domínguez
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Lorente
authors.forename: J I
authors.initials: JI
authors.lastname: Rayo
authors.forename: J
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Serrano
authors.forename: R
authors.initials: R
authors.lastname: Sánchez
authors.forename: J R
authors.initials: JR
authors.lastname: Infante
authors.forename: L
authors.initials: L
authors.lastname: García
authors.forename: C
authors.initials: C
authors.lastname: Durán
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D000368:Aged; D002951:Citrates; D015299:Discitis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging*; D005260:Female; D005708:Gallium; D006801:Humans; D008297:Male; D008875:Middle Aged; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D015899:Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon / Q000379:methods; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed
chemical_list: D002951:Citrates; D019275:Radiopharmaceuticals; D005708:Gallium; C103850:gallium citrate