[Clinical value of radionuclide whole body bone imaging in the diagnosis of skeletal metastasis].

Of 628 patients with extra-osseous malignancies diagnosed by surgery and/or pathology, 207 (33.0%) were identified as having skeletal metastasis by bone imaging. There was statistical significant difference in the incidence of metastasis in in different malignancies (P less than 0.02). The metastatic rates of nasopharyngeal, lung, prostate and breast cancers were higher than gastrointestinal, kidney, and other malignancies. There was significant differences in the different sites of skeletal metastasis (P less than 0.01). They were thorax, spine, pelvis, limbs and skull in order of incidence. Solitary metastatic rate was 15.9%. Biopsy is advised for patients suspected to have metastatic disease but with only one single "hot spot" in skeletal imaging, particularly in the rib.