Bone Scintigraphy in Acute Lymphoblastic Leukemia

Leukemia is the most common childhood cancer and accounts for 30-40% of all malignancies. A retrospective review  was performed of the hospital records of 9 children, 6 boys and 3 girls, aged  from 2.5 to 15 years with ALL initially referred to Nemazee hospital Nuclear medicine center for whole body bone scanning between 2000 and 2002. Bone marrow pathology established ALL (L1) in two and ALL (L2) in 7 patients. All patients had abnormal bone scans involving both appendicular and axial skeletons. These comprised axial skeleton in one, appendicular in seven and both appendicular and axial in one patient. Knowledge of scitigraphic changes acquired in the setting of ALL will expedite the early diagnosis of leukemia at presentation. The potential use of bone scintigraphy is important in that, the correct diagnosis is made on bone scan and confirmed by the examination of blood film, bone marrow aspirate and trephine.