[Immunoscintigraphy for the detection of inflammation foci in bone and joint diseases].

We evaluated the monoclonal antibody MAb, BW 250/183, which is easy to label with Tc-99m, with respect to its clinical application for the detection of inflammatory processes in bone and joint diseases. This monoclonal antibody is a murine immunoglobulin (IgG1 isotype), directed against NCA 95 (nonspecific cross-reacting antigen), which is also present on the surface of neutrophil granulocytes. We investigated patients with acute (n = 9) and chronic (n = 3) osteomyelitis, with coxitis (n = 3) and coxarthrosis (n = 2), with septic hip prosthesis (n = 8) and loosening hip prosthesis (n = 14), with low back pain (n = 4), with spondylitis (n = 5) and with postoperative spondylodiscitis (n = 9). With reference to the total number of patients examined in this study we found 29 true positive results, 22 true negative results, 4 false negative results and 2 false positive results. This gives a sensitivity of 88% and a specificity of 92%. The lesions were already visualized within 4 to 6 hours, but 24 hour pictures are desirable. SPECT pictures are mandatory in patients with diseases of the hip or of the spine because sensitivity is considerably improved thereby.