Tibial periosteal reactions in soldiers. A scintigraphic study of 29 cases of lower leg pain.

Twenty-two soldiers with tibial pain along the posteromedial tibial border (29 painful tibias) entered the study. The tibias were evaluated using radiographs and scintigraphs. Follow-up scintigraphs of 12 tibias were performed. The scintigraphic lesions were classified as Stages 0-V depending on the percentage of bone thickness involved. No attempts were made to differentiate between shin splints and stress fractures. Twenty-four symptomatic lesions and five asymptomatic lesions were found by scintigraphy. Radiographic changes were found in all the lesions classified as Stage III or higher, in some Stage II lesions, but never in Stages 0 and I lesions. Because intense scintigraphic uptake is seen in bone tumors, radiographs are needed to exclude this diagnosis. Radiographs were, however, not as sensitive as scintigraphs for differentiating the periosteal injuries seen in this study. The initial scintigraphs can be used to classify the lesions. Follow-up scintigraphs are not useful because they take months to return to normal. Consequently, the clinical symptoms and the level of pain should be the guidelines for treatment.