The reliability of 99mmTc-pyrophosphate scintigraphy in the diagnosis of bony metastases.

A series of 183 patients suffering from cancer examined with 99mTc-yrophosphate scintigraphy is presented. Of the 74 cases with radiologically confirmed metastases or primary tumour in the skeleton 67 (91%) had an isotope accumulation. Four cases with false positive accumulations were detected. In three cases the uptake disappeared subsequently, in the fourth the uptake persisted, all patients being at least on year without any osseal symptoms. Even when the 99mmTc-pyrophosphate scintigraphy is recommended as the first diagnostic measure in skeletal lesions, the scintigraphy alone is not sufficient for deciding the treatment of a cancer patient.