Bone imaging after total replacement arthroplasty of the hip joint

1 January 1976

journal article
Published by Springer Nature in European Journal of Nuclear Medicine and Molecular Imaging

Vol. 1 (3)
https://doi.org/10.1007/bf00257968

Abstract

Bone imaging was done in patients after total replacement arthroplasty of the hip joint every 3rd month using ^99mTc-HEDP and ¹⁸F. Uptake ratios were estimated over cup/normal hip and femur prosthesis/normal thigh. Ratios decline rapidly and reach a stable level 6–9 months, postoperatively. Eight cases of late infection were predicted correctly 1–3 months before any radiologic evidence was present. In four cases there had been false-positive results with ^99mTc-HEDP while ¹⁸F gave always correct information except in cases of soft tissue inflammation. Here both ^99mTc-HEDP and ¹⁸F ratios were elevated. The early diagnosis of late complications after replacement arthroplasty seems to be possible. The clinical significance, however, is low: only one out of eight patients with manifest infection is still on conservative treatment. Bone imaging should be done to exclude late infection as a cause of pain after total replacement arthroplasty of the hip joint only.

Keywords

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