Skip Navigation

This Article
Right arrow Full Text (PDF)
Right arrow Alert me when this article is cited
Right arrow Alert me if a correction is posted
Services
Right arrow Email this article to a friend
Right arrow Similar articles in this journal
Right arrow Similar articles in PubMed
Right arrow Alert me to new issues of the journal
Right arrow Add to My Personal Archive
Right arrow Download to citation manager
Right arrowRequest Permissions
Right arrow Disclaimer
Google Scholar
Right arrow Articles by ATKINS, R. M.
Right arrow Articles by KANIS, J. A.
Right arrow Search for Related Content
PubMed
Right arrow PubMed Citation
Right arrow Articles by ATKINS, R. M.
Right arrow Articles by KANIS, J. A.
Social Bookmarking
Add to CiteULike   Add to Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us  
What's this?

© 1993 British Society for Rheumatology

research-article

QUANTITATIVE BONE SCINTIGRAPHY IN REFLEX SYMPATHETIC DYSTROPHY

R. M. ATKINS*, W. TINDALE, D. BICKERSTAFF and J. A. KANIS

Departments of Human Metabolism and Clinical Biochemistry, and Medical Physics and Clinical Engineering, University of Sheffield Medical School Beech Hill Road, Sheffield S10 RX

Correspondence to: *Correspondence to R. Atkins at current address: Department of Orthopaedic Surgery, Bristol Royal Infirmary, Bristol BS28HW

We have investigated the appearances of the technetium-99m labelled methylene diphosphonate bone scan in 29 scans performed in 16 patients with post-fracture reflex sympathetic dystrophy (RSD) of the hand. There was a close correlation between increased uptake in the metacarpophalangeal joints and the metacarpal bones, suggesting that the increased uptake in RSD is not confined to the periarticular areas as has been previously reported but occurs throughout the affected region. In seven cases examined 3 months after fracture, RSD was associated with a significant increase in uptake at all sites in the hand on the delayed scan which was not seen in matched post-fracture controls, confirming that increased uptake on delayed bone scintography is a sensitive test for the presence of RSD even in the presence of a fracture of the wrist. The early increased uptake gradually returned to normal. Local tenderness assessed by dolorimetry was correlated with increased uptake, suggesting that the bone scan is not only useful as a diagnostic tool but also provides a quantitative indication of the severity of the condition which may be useful in planning and assessing treatments.

KEY WORDS: Reflex sympathetic dystrophy, RSD, Algodystrophy, Südeck's atrophy, Bone scintigraphy


Add to CiteULike CiteULike   Add to Connotea Connotea   Add to Del.icio.us Del.icio.us    What's this?


This article has been cited by other articles:


Home page
 J Am Acad Orthop SurgHome page
D. J. Nagle
Evaluation of Chronic Wrist Pain
J. Am. Acad. Ortho. Surg., January 1, 2000; 8(1): 45 - 55.
[Abstract] [Full Text] [PDF]

Home page
 J Hand Surg Eur VolHome page
A. ZYLUK
The Usefulness of Quantitative Evaluation of Three-Phase Scintigraphy in the Diagnosis of Posttraumatic Reflex Sympathetic Dystrophy
J Hand Surg Eur Vol., February 1, 1999; 24(1): 16 - 21.
[Abstract] [PDF]


Disclaimer:
Please note that abstracts for content published before 1996 were created through digital scanning and may therefore not exactly replicate the text of the original print issues. All efforts have been made to ensure accuracy, but the Publisher will not be held responsible for any remaining inaccuracies. If you require any further clarification, please contact our Customer Services Department.