[Imaging of the normal skeletal system with 18F Na-PET compared with conventional skeletal scintigraphy using Tc99m-MDP].

PURPOSE: We evaluated the feasibility of 18 Fluoride Positron Emission Tomography (18F-PET), investigated the characteristics appearance of bony structures, and compared the quality of 18F-PET images with conventional bone scans (BS).

METHOD: 18F-PET scans were performed in 59 patients additional to conventional bone scintigraphy.

RESULTS

Even very small details in the spine like the spinous and transverse processes were clearly visible with 18F-PET. Only half of these structures were visualised with BS. When visualising the vertebral bodies of the first rib from the clavicles and the twelfth rib from the kidneys, we arrived at similar results. Hot spots in the skull or at the manubriosternal joint were observed in 29% of the patients without any evidence of trauma, degeneration or metastasis.

CONCLUSION

18F-PET shows more details of the skeleton compared to BS. Some hot spots not occurring with BS must be regarded as physiological.