[en] The spatial location of points in an object can be determined by roentgen stereophotogrammetry. A technique of high accuracy was applied in a determination of the daily skeletal growth of young rabbits. The tibia was labelled with tantalum markers on each side of the growth zones, and the increasing distance between these markers due to longitudinal bone growth was measured. Three different types of markers were tested, and the methodologic error was estimated. It varied between 30 and 43 μm for one growth interval, depending on the type of marker used. The method has clinical implications currently under investigation. (Auth.)

[en] We have evaluated 30 Mittelmeier hips on an average 3.3 years after the operation. Seven hips had been revised because of severe pain and mechanical loosening and one because of fracture of the threaded ceramic cup. Only five of the remaining 22 hips were asymptomatic. There was radiographic migration of the acetabular and femoral components in more than one third of the hips and increased scintimetric values around the femoral component in all but two hips. Unfavorable design of the Mittelmeier prosthesis may be an important etiologic factor contributing to poor component fixation and inferior clinical results. (author)

[en] Thirty-nine patients with femoral neck fractures were followed up clinically and radiographically by technetium-99m-methylenediphosphonate (99mTc-MDP) scintimetry two to 20 days and four, eight, 12, 24, and 36 months after surgery or until redisplacement, pseudarthrosis, or segmental collapse occurred. The scintimetric data were calculated by selecting regions of interest on the fractured and intact sides over the femoral head, neck, greater trochanter, and shaft; ratios of fractured/intact side were obtained for each region. Bone metabolism after femoral neck fracture was expressed and analyzed numerically. Prognosis regarding the course of healing could be made with precision by studying femoral head isotope activity shortly after surgery, preferably one to three weeks after operation. Intact femoral head uptake (ratio greater than 1.0) was connected with uneventful healing, while defective uptake (ratio less than 1.0) was observed with healing complications. The vast majority of femoral heads with primary uptake defects showed increased uptake (greater than 1.0) after four months, often as early as six to eight weeks, indicating revascularization. Segmental collapse, as well as redisplacement and pseudarthrosis, appear to be related to femoral head vascular injury. Femoral head uptake in patients in whom healing complications developed secondary to avascularity differed significantly from that in patients with normal healing, except at investigations performed four to eight months after operation. 99mTc-MDP uptake in the femoral neck, trochanter, and shaft areas was increased for all femoral neck fractures. Subsequent normalization was considerably slower in patients with healing complications

[en] Two patients with femoral neck fractures, one displaced and one undisplaced, are presented. Preoperative intravital staining with tetracycline and Tc-MDP scintimetry both showed intact femoral head circulation while Tc-MDP-scintimetry 1 week after operation showed pronounced circulatory deficiency. SR⁸⁵-scintimetry performed at the same time was inconclusive. Segmental collapse was observed radiographically, 8 and 12 months postoperatively. The major vascular injury resulting in avascularity most probably occured during the procedure of osteosynthesis, and Tc-MDP-scintimetry was found suitable for early postoperative recognition of avascular necrosis in both fractures. (author)

[en] Scintimetry with ₉₉Tcsup(m) MDP was performed in 32 growth regions in 8 children with localized growth disturbances after surgery or injury. The results were compared with the simultaneously performed growth rate analysis using roentgen stereophotogrammetry. A quantitative and qualitative analysis of the nuclide bone images of the anterior view was performed. Numeric ratios, obtained by comparing count rate levels of injured or operated growth region with the corresponding contralateral region, are presented and a satisfactory correlation with the roentgen stereophotogrammetric growth rate analysis was found. Nuclide bone-imaging of growth regions at the knee and ankle provides valuable and significant information about growth and was found to be a clinically useful method when combined with standard radiographic techniques to evaluate growth conditions. (Auth.)

[en] With the aid of Tc-MDP-scintimetry 1-2 weeks after nailing of femoral neck fractures, it is possible to distinguish fractures liable to complications. Due to the suspicion that frequent peroperative vascular damage was caused by the fourflanged nail a less traumatizing cylindric nail with an insertion instrument was used. In a prospective investigation in January 1981-February 1982, which included all intracapsular femoral neck fractures, the two above-mentioned methods of osteosynthesis were used randomly. Intravital staining with tetracycline showed the peroperative circulation equivalent in Rydell and Hansson groups. A significant difference in postoperative isotope uptake could be noted between the two groups in 37 patients with undisplaced fractures. In 34 of 45 displaced fractures in the Rydell group evidence of circulatory deficiency appeared in the postoperative scintimetry but in only 23 of 52 of the displaced fractures in the Hansson group, a statistically significant difference. The latter figure corresponds well to the incidence of peroperatively registered severe vascular injury evaluated by tetracycline labelling. (author)

[en] A 2-year follow-up regarding healing complications, such as redisplacement, nonunion, and segmental collapse of the femoral head, was performed in 306 patients operated on for femoral neck fracture and examined with ^99mTechnetium-MDP scintimetry within 2 weeks postoperatively. Scintimetric evaluation was performed by selecting regions of interest over the femoral head on the fracture side and the intact side and by comparing the uptake. A femoral head ratio fractured/intact side thus was obtained. Of 199 patients with an intact femoral head uptake (ratio ≤ 1.0), 181 showed no signs of healing complications at 2 years, whereas 18 had developed healing complications. Of 107 cases with a deficient femoral-head uptake (ratio < 1.0), 96 had developed healing complications within 2 years from the operation, while 11 cases had no signs of radiographic complications. We conclude that ^99mTc-MDP scintimetry performed within 2 weeks from femoral neck fracture can predict the outcome of the healing course with a prognostic accuracy of 91 per cent. (author)