Triphasic bone scanning following porous-coated hip arthroplasty.

Abstract

In a long-term follow-up evaluation of a homogenous group of patients with a standardized total hip arthroplasty for coxarthrosis, the imaging levels follow a predictable pattern over a prolonged period of time. Because of the prolonged nature of increased uptake in the static phases, the utilization of bone scanning in the early diagnosis and evaluation of the patient with a painful noncemented hip may have little value. Increased blood pool and blood flow studies may indicate localized pathology, but, at the present time, static images of noncemented hip arthroplasty within 12 months of surgery probably are of little diagnostic value.