EXPERIMENTAL FRACTURE HEALING - EVALUATION USING RADIONUCLIDE BONE IMAGING - CONCISE COMMUNICATION

  • 1 January 1978
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 19  (12) , 1320-1323
Abstract
Radionuclide bone imaging was performed in a rabbit model to observe fracture healing and to establish criteria for distinguishing nonunion and delayed healing from normal healing. Sequential .gamma.-camera images (with pinhole collimator) were collected and subjected to computer analysis. Five groups were established: control-immobilization; control-immobilization plus periosteal stripping; simple fracture-osteotomy; delayed union-osteotomy plus periosteal stripping; and nonunion-osteotomy, periosteal stripping and polymethyl methacrylate interposed between fracture fragments. Histographic representation of absolute count rates along rabbit tibias followed a predictable pattern in the simple-fracture and delayed-union groups. They differed only in the time of appearance of phases. The nonunion group demonstrated no recognizable sequential pattern. Serial bone scanning with quantitative data analysis showed potential for indicating the course of healing in fractures and for serving as a guide to treatment.

This publication has 1 reference indexed in Scilit: