Nuclear medicine plays a relevant role in the diagnosis and therapy of bone metastases. Imaging of the bone has been one of the first nuclear medicine techniques applied in humans and still is one of the major requests from physicians. Indeed the sensitivity of this technique is such (>90%) that it is superior to any other available imaging method. On the other hand the specificity is rather low and interpretation of scans needs to be carefully evaluated by expert physicians together with other biological, anatomical and clinical information. In this chapter we will briefly start by describing bone physiology and pathophysiology as these are basic aspects for nuclear medicine imaging of bone metastases and their therapy with radiopharmaceuticals. This is followed by a short overview of epidemiology and distribution of bone metastases. The basics of nuclear medicine imaging and the different cameras and techniques will be explained. We will then review all available radiopharmaceuticals for diagnostics with particular regard to metastases from prostate, breast and lung cancer. The last paragraph presents the use of radiopharmaceuticals for the palliation of metastatic bone disease.
The cntribution of nuclear medicine in the diagnosis of bone metastases / Awjm, Glaudemans; Mgeh, Lam; Nc, Veltman; Rajo, Dierckx; Signore, Alberto. - STAMPA. - (2009), pp. 137-161. [10.1007/978-1-4020-9819-2_7].
The cntribution of nuclear medicine in the diagnosis of bone metastases
SIGNORE, Alberto
2009
Abstract
Nuclear medicine plays a relevant role in the diagnosis and therapy of bone metastases. Imaging of the bone has been one of the first nuclear medicine techniques applied in humans and still is one of the major requests from physicians. Indeed the sensitivity of this technique is such (>90%) that it is superior to any other available imaging method. On the other hand the specificity is rather low and interpretation of scans needs to be carefully evaluated by expert physicians together with other biological, anatomical and clinical information. In this chapter we will briefly start by describing bone physiology and pathophysiology as these are basic aspects for nuclear medicine imaging of bone metastases and their therapy with radiopharmaceuticals. This is followed by a short overview of epidemiology and distribution of bone metastases. The basics of nuclear medicine imaging and the different cameras and techniques will be explained. We will then review all available radiopharmaceuticals for diagnostics with particular regard to metastases from prostate, breast and lung cancer. The last paragraph presents the use of radiopharmaceuticals for the palliation of metastatic bone disease.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.