title: Absent sternum as the first manifestation of bone metastasis on bone scintigraphy.
abstract: The sternum is known as a relatively common site for bone metastases by a variety of malignant neoplasms. The usual finding is increased radiotracer uptake on bone scintigraphy, and cold metastasis is distinctly unusual. In addition, total nonvisualization of the sternum presenting as bone metastasis is extremely rare. We describe two cases with similar findings (absent sternum showing no activity of the sternal segments on bone scintigraphy), which corresponded to metastatic involvement. These findings were shown to be the first manifestation of hepatocellular carcinoma in one patient and bone metastasis in another patient with ovarian cancer.
authors.affiliation: Department of Nuclear Medicine, Chonbuk National University Medical School and Hospital, San 2-20 Geumam-dong, Deokjin-gu, Jeonju, Jeonbuk 561-180 South Korea ; Research Institute of Clinical Medicine, Chonbuk National University Medical School and Hospital, Jeonju, Jeonbuk Korea.
authors.forename: Myung-Hee
authors.initials: MH
authors.lastname: Sohn
authors.affiliation: Department of Nuclear Medicine, Chonbuk National University Medical School and Hospital, San 2-20 Geumam-dong, Deokjin-gu, Jeonju, Jeonbuk 561-180 South Korea ; Research Institute of Clinical Medicine, Chonbuk National University Medical School and Hospital, Jeonju, Jeonbuk Korea.
authors.forename: Seok Tae
authors.initials: ST
authors.lastname: Lim
authors.affiliation: Department of Nuclear Medicine, Chonbuk National University Medical School and Hospital, San 2-20 Geumam-dong, Deokjin-gu, Jeonju, Jeonbuk 561-180 South Korea.
authors.forename: Young Jin
authors.initials: YJ
authors.lastname: Jeong
authors.affiliation: Department of Nuclear Medicine, Chonbuk National University Medical School and Hospital, San 2-20 Geumam-dong, Deokjin-gu, Jeonju, Jeonbuk 561-180 South Korea ; Research Institute of Clinical Medicine, Chonbuk National University Medical School and Hospital, Jeonju, Jeonbuk Korea.
authors.forename: Dong Wook
authors.initials: DW
authors.lastname: Kim
authors.affiliation: Department of Nuclear Medicine, Chonbuk National University Medical School and Hospital, San 2-20 Geumam-dong, Deokjin-gu, Jeonju, Jeonbuk 561-180 South Korea ; Research Institute of Clinical Medicine, Chonbuk National University Medical School and Hospital, Jeonju, Jeonbuk Korea.
authors.forename: Hwan-Jeong
authors.initials: HJ
authors.lastname: Jeong
authors.affiliation: Department of Internal Medicine, Chonbuk National University Medical School and Hospital, Jeonju, Jeonbuk Korea ; Research Institute of Clinical Medicine, Chonbuk National University Medical School and Hospital, Jeonju, Jeonbuk Korea.
authors.forename: Chang-Yeol
authors.initials: CY
authors.lastname: Yim
keywords: Bone metastasis; Bone scintigraphy; Hepatocellular carcinoma; Ovarian cancer; Sternum