Three phase bone scanning as an aid to early diagnosis in reflex sympathetic dystrophy of the hand. A study of eighty-nine cases.

In reflex sympathetic dystrophy, three phase radionuclide bone scanning with Tc-99m methylene diphosphonate is preferred. The first phase corresponds to the dynamic behavior of the tracer. After appropriate data processing (by Fourier's analysis), three functional images may be obtained. The second phase corresponds to the tissues fixation of the tracer 5 to 10 minutes after the injection. Based on the results of 89 cases of post-traumatic or postsurgical reflex sympathetic dystrophy observed in 128 patients investigated with this method, diagnostic sensitivity was 96%, while specificity was 86%. The scintigraphic patterns observed during the 100 week period after the initial trauma demonstrate the precocity and the significance of circulatory and tissues phenomena as well as their variations according to treatment. The scintigraphic criteria of regression or stabilization of disease are discussed.