Limitations of bone scanning in clinical oncology
R. K. Loeffler, R. N. DiSimone and W. J. Howland
Radioisotope bone scanning is frequently used as the major, and sometimes
the only, diagnostic test for neoplasia in bone. While the evidence is
convincing that bone scans are frequently more sensitive than
roentgenographic bone surveys for detection of metastatic bone disease,
there are false-negative results for a variety of reasons, and positive
findings must be interpreted with caution. Scans also appear more limited
than roentgenograms in their usefulness for evaluating changes in abnormal
bone structure. Case histories and discussion are offered to indicate that
usually both radioisotope bone scans and roentgenographic bone surveys
should be obtained for initial screening and subsequent assessment of bone
metastases.
