Five benign myoskeletal diseases in paediatrics and the role of nuclear medicine. Do they differ from those in adults?

In this paper we discuss trauma, osteomyelitis, fibrous dysplasia, Legg-Calvé-Perthes disease and osteopetrosis in children. Pathophysiology, incidence, clinical signs, diagnosis and specific trteatment of these diseases are described. We have focused on diagnostic imaging techniques which can be applied in children: X-rays, magnetic resonance imaging bone scintigraphy with technetium- 99m-methylene diphosphonate ((99m)Tc-MDP) and positron emission tomography (PET) with fluorine-18 fluorodesoxyglucose ((18)F-FDG) and fluorine-18 fluoro sodium fluoride ((18)F-NaF). In conclusion, bone scintigraphy with (99m)Tc-MDP and better with PET ((18)F-FDG and (18)F-NaF) can support diagnosis of most of these myoskeletal diseases in children. Radiology is usually applied for local lesions examinations. Magnetic resonance imaging can be used in specific cases in periosteal and bone marrow lesions and CT may be avoided due to its radiation burden, in children.