Intraarticular lymphoscintigraphy of the human knee joint: a preliminary study.

Intraarticular (knee) lymphoscintigraphy using 99mTc-nanocoll was performed in five patients with chronic synovitis. Scintigrams from the anterior and lateral view of the knee and of the iliac region were taken 1, 2, 4, and 22 hours after injection. The inguinal and iliac lymph nodes uniformly visualized in about 2 hours. Based on radioactivity in regional lymph nodes measured at prescribed time intervals, we were able to quantify lymph drainage from the knee joint. Lymphoscintigraphy is without complication and discomfort and is potentially useful to study synovial fluid reabsorption in joint diseases.