title: Can scintigraphy explain prolonged postoperative neck pain?
abstract: OBJECTIVE
  Anterior cervical fusion procedures are among the most commonly performed     spinal operations. Investigators have reported pseudoarthrosis rates ranging     from 3 to 36% following anterior cervical fusion operations. The diagnosis of     pseudoarthrosis has been based on the triad of pain, radiographic evidence of     instability, and loss of correction or fixation. Scintigraphic imaging may be     involved in pseudoarthrosis investigation by increase of nuclear agent uptake at     the operated level but today it is not used in clinical practice as a routine     imaging modality.
  
  
  METHODS
  Nine cases operated for degenerative     disc disease on single level but suffering postoperative prolonged neck pain     were involved in the study. All cases underwent 99mTc-hydroxymethylene     diphosphonate (HMDP) bone SPECT later than postoperative twelfth month.
  
  
  RESULTS
  Results showed a correlation between severity of neck pain and fusion status.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Increased and prolonged uptake of nuclear agent should cause a     suspicion on so-called fusion, proven by radiology.
authors.affiliation: Kasimpasa Military Hospital, Department of Neurosurgery, Istanbul, Turkey.
authors.forename: Ahmet
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Cetinkal
authors.forename: Serdar
authors.initials: S
authors.lastname: Kaya
authors.forename: Murat
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Kutlay
authors.forename: Murat
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Velioglu
authors.forename: Muammer
authors.initials: M
authors.lastname: Urhan
authors.forename: Ahmet
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Colak
authors.forename: Nusret
authors.initials: N
authors.lastname: Demircan
mesh_terms: D000328:Adult; D002574:Cervical Vertebrae / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging / Q000473:pathology / Q000601:surgery; D002908:Chronic Disease; D017586:Diskectomy / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D005260:Female; D006801:Humans; D021621:Imaging, Three-Dimensional / Q000379:methods; D016268:Internal Fixators / Q000009:adverse effects; D055959:Intervertebral Disc Degeneration / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery; D008297:Male; D019547:Neck Pain / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D010149:Postoperative Pain / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D011182:Postoperative Care / Q000379:methods / Q000592:standards; D011237:Predictive Value of Tests; D011542:Pseudarthrosis / Q000000981:diagnostic imaging* / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology; D011622:Pterins; D012189:Retrospective Studies; D012680:Sensitivity and Specificity; D013123:Spinal Fusion / Q000009:adverse effects* / Q000295:instrumentation / Q000379:methods; D055009:Spondylosis / Q000473:pathology / Q000503:physiopathology / Q000601:surgery; D013995:Time; D013997:Time Factors; D015899:Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon / Q000379:methods*; D014057:Tomography, X-Ray Computed / Q000379:methods
chemical_list: C492818:6-hydroxymethyl-7,8-dihydropterin; D011622:Pterins