Diagnosis of osteomyelitis of mandible by 99mTc-MDP and 67Ga citrate imaging.

Osteomyelitis of the mandible is one of the most intractable inflammations occurring in the oral cavity. However, the recent increased incidence of subacute cases of this disease resulting probably from inappropriate use of antibiotics caused difficulties in diagnosis and management of this disease. By means of diagnostic imaging using 99mTc-MDP and 67Ga citrate, we obtained useful information for evaluation of the expansion of lesional involvement and the degree of progression, and also for prediction of the prognosis in six cases of osteomyelitis which presented different patterns of morbidity.