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The Role of Fluorine 18 Scanning in the Detection of Skeletal Metastases in Early Breast Cancer
Author(s) -
Green David,
Jeremy R.,
Towson Jocelyn,
Morris J.
Publication year - 1973
Publication title -
australian and new zealand journal of surgery
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.111
H-Index - 51
eISSN - 1445-2197
pISSN - 0004-8682
DOI - 10.1111/j.1445-2197.1973.tb05696.x
Subject(s) - medicine , occult , breast cancer , radiology , radiography , cancer , nuclear medicine , pathology , alternative medicine
Seventy‐one women with early breast cancer were investigated by fluorine 18 scanning and axial skeletal radiography within a short time of diagnosis. They were then reviewed one year later. Seven patients out of the 71 had either an abnormal scan or abnormal skiagrams initially, but at follow‐up detectable occult skeletal metastases were confirmed in three only (4%). Considering this low yield, it is questionable whether routine use of these screening procedures is justified. The radionuclide is sensitive in detecting osseous disease, but in view of its non‐specificity the scan should always be interpreted together with a skiagram