Failure of uptake of radiocolloid by the femoral heads: a diagnostic problem: concise communication.

One hundred six patients had the area of the femoral head scintigraphed after completion of a Tc-99m sulfur colloid liver scan. In 47 (45%), there was no visible activity in the femoral heads. This was somewhat age-related. All six individuals in the 11- to 19-yr age group showed femoral-head uptake of radiocolloid, but only 37% of those 70 to 79 yr old revealed such accumulation. The finding that less than one half of adults had uptake of radiocolloid in the femoral heads was consistent with results of three smaller series of patients (larger dose of radiocolloid, use of a different preparation of sulfur colloid, and use of In-III chloride). We conclude that not all adults take up radiocolloid in the femoral heads, and that lack of such uptake is not necessarily abnormal. Use of radiocolloid accumulation to gauge femoral-head vascularity may be more limited than previously appreciated, although right-left asymmetry might be of some diagnostic assistance.