Pediatric Skeletal Scintigraphy: What a General Radiologist Needs to Know

Pediatric skeletal scintigraphy is a noninvasive imaging modality which aids in functional as well as anatomic evaluation of bone. Bone scintigraphy plays a major role in diagnosis and evaluation of various benign, primary malignant and metastatic pediatric bone pathologies. The advantage of bone scan is that it becomes positive well before the bone pathology is evident on radiographs and specifically the entire skeleton can be imaged in a single examination. Pediatric bone scintigraphy evaluation can be challenging to the general radiologist not routinely exposed to the study, as the growing skeleton is quite different from a mature skeleton especially at or near the growth plates. Though nonspecific, bone scintigraphy is a very sensitive modality. Correlation with a good history and other imaging modalities like radiographs, computed tomography and magnetic resonance imaging helps in diagnosis.