title: Scintigraphic Evaluation of the Stump Region After Extremity Amputation and the Effect of Scintigraphy on Treatment.
abstract: BACKGROUND
  We evaluated the stump region with scintigraphy and compared the correlation of treatment modalities and scintigraphic results.
  
  
  METHODS
  Sixty-eight cases with extremity amputation were included in the study. Amputation applied cases underwent four-phase Tc-99m hydroxymethylene diphosphonate scintigraphy. Groups were performed according to the scanning time after amputation and amputation regions. After scintigraphic evaluation, results were recorded into five groups: osteomyelitis, soft-tissue infection, reactive changes secondary to surgery, chronic osteomyelitis, and normal. Post-surgical treatment modalities of the patients were determined and compared with scintigraphic results.
  
  
  RESULTS
  In the scintigraphic evaluation of stump regions of the 68 amputated cases, 34 patients had acute osteomyelitis, one had chronic osteomyelitis, 16 had soft-tissue infection, and eight had changes secondary to the surgery. Nine of 68 cases had normal scintigraphic features. In the scintigraphic evaluation, 43 patients took antibiotic treatment and 16 had surgery. There was a strong correlation between scintigraphic results and treatment approach (P < 0.0001, r = 0.803) by means of preferred therapy and effectiveness of the therapy according to the scintigraphic results. Scintigraphy need increases with age after amputation and a negative correlation between patient age and scintigraphic need was found (P < 0.02, r = -0.339). There was no pathology in the follow-up in the cases that were scintigraphically normal.
  
  
  CONCLUSIONS
  Bone scintigraphy is a cost-effective, non-invasive, and efficient method that directs treatment in the evaluation of the stump region after amputation.
authors: Department of Nuclear Medicine, Ministry of Health Ankara Training and Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey.
authors: Murat
authors: M
authors: Sadic
authors: Division of Nuclear Medicine, Ministry of Health Kahramanmaras Necip Fazil City Hospital, Kahramanmaras, Turkey.
authors: Hasan Ikbal
authors: HI
authors: Atilgan
authors: Department of Nuclear Medicine, Ministry of Health Ankara Training and Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey.
authors: Aylin
authors: A
authors: Baskin
authors: Department of Nuclear Medicine, Ministry of Health Ankara Training and Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey.
authors: Alev
authors: A
authors: Cinar
authors: Department of Nuclear Medicine, Ministry of Health Ankara Training and Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey.
authors: Gokhan
authors: G
authors: Koca
authors: Department of Nuclear Medicine, Ministry of Health Ankara Training and Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey.
authors: Koray
authors: K
authors: Demirel
authors: Department of Nuclear Medicine, Ministry of Health Ankara Training and Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey.
authors: Aylin
authors: A
authors: Comak
authors: Division of Nuclear Mecicine, Ministry of Health Sami Ulus Children Hospital, Ankara, Turkey.
authors: Sinem
authors: S
authors: Ozyurt
authors: Department of Nuclear Medicine, Dr. Abdurrahman Yurtaslan Ankara Oncology Training and Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey.
authors: Sule
authors: S
authors: Yildirim
authors: Department of Nuclear Medicine, Ministry of Health Ankara Training and Research Hospital, Ankara, Turkey.
authors: Meliha
authors: M
authors: Korkmaz
keywords: Osteomyelitis; Stump region; Tc-99m HDP scintigraphy