Serial Fluorine-18 bone scans in the follow-up of carcinoma of the prostate.

74 patients with prostatic cancer were studied annually by combined radiological and fluorine-18 scan survey over a 5-year period. The results of the long term follow-up of bone cans is reported. At the time of the initial diagnosis 71-5% of the patients had advanced disease and 56% had radiological or scan evidence of metastases. A critical evaluation of the scans resulted in the detection of early bone lesions in 25% of patients with no radiological evidence of metastases. Follow-up of these patients has shown that scan abnormalities preceded radiological changes from between 1 to 4 years and there was good correlation proven histologically by bone biopsy or autopsy in more than half of the patients. In patients with a positive bone scan and positive X-rays the scan abnormalities were more extensive than the corresponding X-ray lesions. When bone healing occurred with endocrine treatment this was more readily apparent on the X-rays. False negative scans were not seen with fluorine-18 which allows for greater accuracy in the detection of skeletal metastases. Bone scanning has enabled correct staging to be carried out. This study confirms the high incidence of cardiac and vascular complications in patients treated with oestrogens.