Hiding in Plain Sight: Diagnostic value of bone scintigraphy in optimal evaluation of the skull vault.

Objectives: To emphasize the importance of bone scintigraphy to detect significant pathology when CT of the head and MRI of the brain are negative. To highlight a range of pathological conditions which may not be easily detected on routine review of CT of the head or MRI in the absence of available bone scintigraphy.

Introduction: • Normal Scintigraphy Findings • Normal variants • Common skull vault pathologies • Sample cases from our institution

Conclusions: • References Summary: Bone Scintigraphy with technetium-99m-labeled diphosphonates is an excellent screening tool for detection of many pathologic conditions, even when radiographic findings are negative. Computed tomography (CT) and magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) are the preferred modalities for the evaluation of skull lesions. Skull vault neoplastic and non-neoplastic lesions could represent a diagnostic challenge for the radiologist on review of CT of the head or MRI of the brain. However, they are commonly discovered on bone scintigraphy. The detection of these lesions on bone scintigraphy requires knowledge of their scintigraphy features and differentiating them from normal variants.