The value of thallium and three-phase bone scans in the evaluation of bone and soft tissue sarcomas

Abstract

Thirty-seven patients with newly diagnosed or treated sarcomas had 47 sets of sequential thallium scans (TS) followed by three-phase bone scan (TPBS) on the same day. The diagnosis in all patients was verified by biopsy (n=40) or long-term follow-up studies (n=7). The sensitivity, specificity, and accuracy of TS and TPBS in detecting sarcomatous lesions was calculated: TS sensitivity was 88%, specificity 69%, and accuracy 83%; blood flow (BF) and blood pool (BP) sensitivity was 91%, specificity 54%, and accuracy 81 %; delayed bone scan (DB) sensitivity was 88%, specificity 38%, and accuracy 74%. In 17 studies the flow and blood pool parts of the TPBS and TS demonstrated the soft tissue compo..