Abstract
Bone scans from 43 children referred with hip pain of uncertain cause were reviewed. The bone scan was abnormal in 36 patients: normal in 7. In 12 the findings were diagnostic: osteomyelitis, osteoid osteoma, osteomyelitis with septic arthritis, Perthes' Disease and juvenile chronic arthritis. Twenty-four patients had abnormal scans including diffuse periarticular increase and of these 18 had transient synovitis. Immobilisation and trauma accounted for the remainder. Isotope bone scans have been found to be a valuable investigation in children presenting with hip pain or limp, where the x-rays may appear normal or nondiagnostic.
This is a preview of subscription content, log in via an institution to check access.
Similar content being viewed by others
References
Bensahel H, Bok B (1979) The contribution of scintigraphy in non infectious hip disease in children. Arch Fr Pediatr 36: 1040
Heyman S, Goldstein HA, Crowley W, Treves S (1980) The scintigraphic evaluation of hip pain in children. Clin Nucl Med 5: 109
Lisbona R, Rosenthall L (1977) Radionuclide imaging of septic joints and their differentation from periarticular osteomyelitis and cellulitis in pediatrics. Clin Nucl Med 2: 337
Sutherland AD, Savage JP, Paterson DC, Foster BK (1980) The nuclide bone scan in the diagnosis and management of Perthes' disease. J Bone Joint Surg 62: 300
Sty JR, Starshak RJ, Miller JH (1983) Pediatric nuclear medicine. Appleton-Century-Crofts, Norwalk, p 14
Author information
Authors and Affiliations
Rights and permissions
About this article
Cite this article
Bower, G.D., Sprague, P., Geijsel, H. et al. Isotope bone scans in the assessment of children with hip pain or limp. Pediatr Radiol 15, 319–323 (1985). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02386766
Accepted:
Issue Date:
DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF02386766