Imaging with Tc-99m MDP and Ga-67 citrate in patients with rheumatoid arthritis and suspected septic arthritis: Concise communication

Fifteen patients with rheumatoid arthritis and suspected septic arthritis had joint aspiration and imaging with Tc-99m MDP and Ga-67 citrate. Joint-to-bone ratios for Tc-99m and Ga-67 were obtained from regions of interest over each joint and an area of bone proximal to the joint. Eight patients had septic arthritis with Staphylococcus aureus, and the cultures from the other seven gave no growth. Although the mean joint-to-bone ratios were higher for the culture-positive patients with both Tc-99m and Ga-67, there was no level that separated culture-positive from culture-negative patients.