Bone Scintigraphy in Three Patinets with Cough Related Stress Fractures of Ribs

The 99mTc-HMDP bone scintigraphic findings in three cases of unusual cough rerated stress fractures of ribs are presented. In all three patients, bone scintigraphy clearly disclosed the fracture sites as abnormal concentrations of activity. Bone scintigraphy was available for early detection and diagnosis in one patient. All of the lesions were located in the axillary line, even the two cases with multiple lesions (one of whom had bilateral lesions), and there were abnormal accumulation sites in the adjacent above and below ribs. These bone scintigraphic findings seem to be characteristic of cough related stress fractures of ribs.

Bone scintigraphy

99mTc-HMDP

Stress fracture

Rib