Tc-99m hydroxymethylene diphosphonate SPECT/CT for the evaluation of osteonecrosis of the jaw: preliminary study on diagnostic ability of maximum standardised uptake value

AIM: To investigate the diagnostic ability of maximum standardised uptake value (SUVmax) at combined single-photon-emission computed tomography/computed tomography (SPECT/CT) for the evaluation of osteonecrosis of the jaw. MATERIALS AND METHODS: Seven patients with mandibular osteonecrosis (three osteoradionecrosis, three medication-related osteonecrosis of the jaw (MRONJ), and one rheumatoid arthritis) underwent SPECT/CT at 4 hours after injection of technetium 99m hydroxymethylene diphosphonate. The SPECT/CT parameters SUVmax were compared for the osteonecrosis with normal mandible. Statistical analyses among the SUVmax of osteonecrosis were performed by one-way repeated measures analysis of variance with Tukey's HSD (honestly significant difference) test. A p-value <0.05 was considered statistically significant. RESULTS: SUVmax for MRONJ and rheumatoid arthritis (23.24 +/- 8.63) were significantly higher than those for osteoradionecrosis (9.05 +/- 1.39, p=0.005) and normal mandible (3.57 +/- 0.46, p=0.000). CONCLUSIONS: SUVmax derived from bone SPECT/CT could be useful for the evaluation of osteonecrosis of the jaw. (C) 2019 The Royal College of Radiologists. Published by Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.