[The diagnostic value of radiological, nuclear medicine and biochemical methods for detection of bone metastases in carcinoma of the prostate (author's transl)].

785 combined diagnostic procedures are reported which were carried out on 353 patients with microscopically proven carcinoma of the prostate in order to detect metastases. X-ray films of the thorax, spine and pelvis were taken. Also bone-scintigraphy was done with 87MSr or 99MTc-polyphosphate. Additionally the alcaline, acid and prostate phosphatases were determined. A diagnostic coincidence between radiological results and bone-scan was found in 95.1% of cases. The bone-scan was false negative in 3.7%. Only in 1.2% metastases were detected earlier by the bone-scan than by x-ray examinations. Referring to the number of studies identical results were found. In roentgenologically detected metastases an increased serum level of the alcaline phosphatase was found in 61%, of the acid phosphatase in 31% and of the prostate-phosphatase in 25%.