Painful knee joint prostheses: evaluation for loosening by combined radionuclide arthrography and transmission imaging
Hayes, A.A.; Cardaci, G.; Bower, G.D.
Clinical Nuclear Medicine 22(10): 669-672
1997
ISSN/ISBN: 0363-9762 PMID: 9343720 Document Number: 469721
Interpretation of radionuclide arthrograms (RNA) of the knee after total knee joint replacement (TKR) may be difficult because of the lack of sufficient anatomic reference information. Additional transmission images may provide the necessary reference information required for correct interpretation of RNA of the knee. Methods: Tc-99m tin colloid (20 MBq) RNA was combined with cobalt-57 transmission imaging in six patients with painful TKRs in whom loosening of the TKR was suspected. Knee surgery was then performed on these six cases. Results: RNA correctly detected loosening of the tibial component in five of six cases, but did not detect loosening of the femoral component in any of three cases. Conclusion: RNA combined with transmission imaging is recommended for detection of loosening of the tibial component of a TKR. RNA may not be of value for detecting loosening of the femoral component.