Diffuse femoral uptake on bone scan after fracture in an infant.

A case is described of a 21 month old infant with a fractured mid-shaft of femur following a fall. While the fracture was clearly visualised on X-ray, radionuclide bone scanning showed diffusely increased uptake throughout the femur with no focal uptake at the fracture site. Fractures of any etiology, including child abuse, should always be considered in the differential diagnosis of diffusely increased long bone uptake on bone scintigraphy in children.