FEMORAL-HEAD ACTIVITY IN PERTHES DISEASE - CLINICAL EVALUATION OF A QUANTITATIVE TECHNIQUE FOR ESTIMATING TRACER UPTAKE

  • 1 January 1978
    • journal article
    • research article
    • Vol. 19  (8) , 884-890
Abstract
A method for quantifying the uptake of 99mTc-labeled phosphate complexes in the femoral head was clinically evaluated and used specifically for studying the uptake of these bone-seeking agents in Perthes'' disease. The analysis depends on the selection by computer program of a reliable reference area in the femoral shaft, and is compared with the mean uptake from each femoral head. The femoral-head activity is represented as an uptake ratio. These ratios, together with a fixed contour representing the uptake in the femoral-head regions, provide more clinical information than the radiograph or scintiphoto, particularly in the early stages of unilateral or bilateral femoral-head disease and during follow-up. No correlation was found between these ratios and qualitative techniques for assessing Perthes'' disease by radiograph. Osteotomy reduces the vascularity of the femoral head, and in certain cases this reduction persists for some years. 99mTC-labeled diphosphonate compounds were used in more recent studies, and a significant increase in sensitivity was obtained, compared with earlier polyphosphate data.

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