Impact of bone scintigraphy on the clinical management of a patient with sickle cell anemia and recent chest pain

Abstract

The authors present a cases of acute chest syndrome that was originally thought to be due to pneumonia, in which bone imaging obtained 4 weeks later for knee pain showed a secondary finding of multiple rib infarcts that clarified the etiology of the patient's chest manifestations and led to a change in the management of the patient. Bone scintigraphy should be considered in the work-up of patients with sickle cell anemia and concurrent chest symptoms.