Molecular Imaging and Radionuclide Therapy, published by Galenos Publishing. Osseous and Nonosseous Bone Scan Findings in Liver Transplant Candidates with end-stage Chronic Liver Disease

Objective: End-stage chronic liver disease (CLD) adversely affects the function of multiple organ systems including the skeletal system. The aim of this study was to assess osseous and nonosseous bone scintigraphy (BS) findings in liver transplant (LT) candidates with end-stage CLD. Methods: We retrospectively evaluated BS findings in 50 consecutive patients with end-stage CLD who were undergoing preoperative assessment for LT from January 2006 to December 2011. All the patients were analyzed with respect to clinical and laboratory parameters, and BS findings. Scintigrams were visually assessed for the presence of osseous and nonosseous abnormalities. Osseous abnormalities were classified as those indicating bone metabolism changes or metastatic bone disease. Typical scintigraphic findings denoting to changes in bone metabolism were the presence of decreased osseous uptake, increased periarticular uptake, asymmetrical or unusual uptake patterns. Nonosseous findings were classified according to the degree of soft-tissue uptake as mild and severe. Results: The group consisted of 46 adult and 4 adolescent patients. All adolescent patients had normal skeletal accumulation with growth plate uptake and one had mildly increased renal cortical activity. A total of 46 adult patients had one or more of the following osseous findings: generalized decrease in osseous uptake (n=4, 8.7%); bilateral decrease in lower extremity uptake (n=26, 56.5%); symmetrically increased periarticular uptake (n=26, 56.5%); bilateral cortical/periosteal increased uptake in the lower extremit