This Article  • References  • Full text PDF  • Send to a friend  • Save in My Folder  • Save to citation manager  • Permissions  Citing Articles  • Citation map  • Citing articles on Web of Science (9)  • Contact me when this article is cited  Related Content  • Similar articles in JAMA  Social Bookmarking   What's this?

Role of the Localized False-Negative Scan

Henry D. Covelli, MD; Arlene J. Zaloznik, MD; Kris M. Shekitka, MD

JAMA. 1980;244(23):2625-2627.

Abstract
False-negative bone scans localized to the vertebral column were detected in ten patients with primary carcinoma of the lung. All patients had macroscopic vertebral metastases at autopsy despite recent normal technetium Tc 99m bone scans and skeletal roentgenograms. Bone scans were 96% accurate in detecting nonvertebral metastases that were grossly visible at postmortem, with seven patients demonstrating multiple skeletal defects. False-negative studies of the vertebral column apparently prevented both the clinician and radiotherapist from treating symptomatic metastases in eight patients despite the administration of radiotherapy to other scan-positive symptomatic areas or to the primary tumor site.

(JAMA 1980;244:2625-2627)

Author Affiliations
From the Departments of Medicine (Drs Covelli and Zaloznik) and Pathology (Dr Shekitka), Madigan Army Medical Center, Tacoma, Wash. Dr Covelli is now with the Pulmonary Disease Service, Madigan Army Medical Center, Tacoma, Wash. Dr Zaloznik is now with the Department of Hematology and Oncology, Fitzsimons Army Medical Center, Aurora, Colo.

Footnotes
The opinions and assertions contained herein are the private views of the authors and are not to be construed as official or as reflecting the views of the Department of the Army or the Department of Defense.

Reprint requests to Box 199, Madigan Army Medical Center, Tacoma, WA 98431 (Dr Covelli).

CiteULike    Connotea    Del.icio.us    Digg    Reddit    Technorati    Twitter     What's this?