The use of radionuclide bone scintigraphy to determine local spread of oral squamous cell carcinoma to mandible.

In oral squamous cell carcinoma, conservative resection of mandible is not recommended if there is tumour invasion. The use of bone scintigraphy to obtain a more accurate assessment of tumour spread has been evaluated in comparison with radiographs and histology in 11 patients. Tumour invasion of bone was shown on scans and radiographs, but periosteal reaction to tumour was detected by scintigraphy only. Thus both scintigraphy and radiography are recommended for preoperative assessment of bony margins for radical resection.