Nucl Med Mol Imaging.  2008 Feb;42(1):44-51.

Study for Reliability of Interpretation of the Three Phase Bone Scintigraphy in Patients with Post-traumatic Complex Regional Pain Syndrome

• Park JM
• Kim SJ
• Chung SH
• Lee YT

Abstract

PURPOSE: We performed this study to evaluate reliability on interpretation of three phase bone scintigraphy (TPBS) in patients with post-traumatic complex regional pain syndrome (PT-CRPS).
METHODS
Based on International Association for the Study of Pain guideline in 1994, 34 patients with PT-CRPS were selected for this study. Two nuclear medicine physicians evaluated identical TPBS according to the uptake pattern, extent and intensity of the lesion, and their agreements (kappa values) were analysed. The final diagnosis based on arbitrary criteria of each physician were compared with those obtained by the criteria for PT-CRPS established in this study, which are hyperactivity on all phases (criteria 1), hyperactivity of whole joints on delayed phase (criteria 2), and hyperactivity of either whole or focal joints on delayed phase (criteria 3).
RESULTS
Intra-observer agreements were good for uptake pattern, intensity, and extent on TPBS. Inter-observer agreements were also good, except extent on blood pool phase (0.55). The inter-observer agreements on final diagnosis improved when criteria 1-3 were applied (0.77-0.88), compared to when physician's own criteria were used (0.63). Those also improved from 0.29 to 0.47-0.82 for acute stage, and from 0.37 to 1.0 for chronic stage. The sensitivities of chronic stage were relatively lower to those of acute stage.
CONCLUSIONS
Inter-observer's variations in diagnosis of the patients with PT-CRPS using TPBS were observed. These results were attributed to different criteria set by observers. In order to improve agreement on interpretation of TPBS, common positive criteria should be established, especially considering uptake pattern and clinical stages.

Keyword

Tc-99m deoxypyridinoline (DPD); three phase bone scintigraphy; post-traumatic complex regional pain syndrome

MeSH Terms

Humans
Joints
Nuclear Medicine