Early detection of bone metastasis in malignancy with whole body bone scan

Bone scans with sup(99m)Tc-MDP (methylene diphosphonate) was analysed in 112 patients with various type of biopsy proven malignant tumor who visited Seoul National University Hospital from March 1979 to August 1979. The results were as follow: Of the 112 cases, bone scans were positive in 61 cases (54.1%), while only 27 cases (24.1%) were positive in roentgenogram. Of the 61 cases with positive bone scan, bone metastases were found in 25 cases by roentgenogram. Of the 51 cases with negative bone scan, bone metastases was found in only 1 cases by roentgenogram. In comparison of bone scan and roentgenogram by number of regions, 137 regions were positive in bone scan or roentgenogram. Of these, 46 regions (33,5%) were both bone scan and roentgenogram positive, 89 regions (65.0%) were bone scan positive roentgenogram negative, and 2 regions were bone scan negative roentgenogram positive. Bone scan and roentgenographic finding had significant correlation with the presence of bone pain but no significant correlation with the elevated level of serum alkaline phosphatase, acid phosphatase, Ca, and P. From above result, we found that bone scan was more sensitive than roentgenogram in early detection of bone metastases in malignant tumors. (author)