Bone scintigraphy in discitis and related disorders in children

Abstract

Thirty-nine children with suspected pathology involving the vertebral column were investigated haematologically, radiographically, and by bone scintigraphy using technetium 99M pyrophosphate. Fifteen children were shown to have inflammatory disease of the vertebrae. A further six suffered from Scheuermann's disease, two from benign tumours, and the remainder from miscellaneous diseases not specifically involving bony pathology. The nuclide scan was abnormal in all cases of discitis and osteomyelitis, and in the two tumours. All of the other conditions were associated with a normal bone scan. This finding is of considerable diagnostic importance, and leads support to the theory that discitis is due to bacterial infection.