Early detection of bone lesions by photoscanning with radioactive strontium

Calcium has been shown to accumulate in areas of bone metastasis in amounts greater than in normal bone even prior to observable roentgenographic changes. There is no suitable isotope of calcium which can be utilized easily in the average hospital isotope laboratory for external counting but isotopes of strontium can be substituted for calcium and their distribution in areas of active osteogenesis readily visualized by photoscanning. This technique has been used in the examination of more than 500 patients and in many cases early lesions of bone have been demonstrated prior to observable roentgenographic changes.