Nuclear medicine communications
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Comparative Study Clinical Trial
Incremental diagnostic value of 99mTc methylene diphosphonate bone SPECT in patients with patellofemoral pain disorders.
Painful disorders of the patellofemoral joint are one of the most frequent complaints in orthopaedic and sports medicine. The purpose of this study was to assess the value of single photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) bone imaging compared with arthroscopy in the differential diagnosis of anterior knee pain. Twenty-seven patients with chronic anterior knee pain and 27 age matched control patients were examined prospectively. ⋯ It is concluded that SPECT imaging of the knee is highly sensitive for the diagnosis of patellofemoral abnormalities. SPECT significantly improves the detection of maltracking of the patella and the ensuing increased lateral patellar compression syndrome. This information could be used to treat patellofemoral problems more effectively.