Boiteries : diagnostic différentiel en scintigraphie osseuse

Abstract

Limping in children is a common and polymorphic symptom that can reveal a wide spectrum of underlying conditions, from benign mechanical disorders to severe infectious, inflammatory, or tumoral diseases. Bone scintigraphy plays a key role in the diagnostic workup, especially when a systemic or infectious cause is suspected. Through a series of illustrative clinical cases, this article highlights unusual causes of limping identified by bone scintigraphy, including oncological (metastatic neuroblastoma, acute leukemia), infectious (appendicitis, spondylodiscitis, sacroiliitis), inflammatory (osteochondrosis, SAPHO syndrome), and traumatic (tendinopathies) conditions. We emphasize the importance of systematically evaluating both soft tissue and delayed phases of scintigraphy, as certain extra-skeletal abnormalities may be the first signs of serious underlying diseases.