Case Report: SPECT/CT as the New Diagnostic Tool for Specific Wrist Pathology.

Introduction: Single photon emission computed tomography has been introduced as a promising new diagnostic tool in orthopaedic pathology since the early 90'. Computed tomography, the combined with SPECT, gives insight in the specific sight of wrist pathology. Literature already supports introduction of SPECT/CT in wrist pathology, but clinical application is lagging.

Case report: A 40yr old patient reported first in 2004 with persisting pain after a right distal radius fracture. Several diagnostics and operative interventions were performed, all unsuccessful. Because of the persisting pain a SPECT-CT was performed which showed a cyst in the hamate bone, which was successfully enucleated. The patient was finally pain free at recent follow-up. With a QDash-score of 43 and a PRW (H) E-DLV-score of 58/150.

Discussion: In this case report, SPECT/CT proved a very sensitive diagnostic tool for specific pathology of the wrist. It offered precise localisation and thereby the clinically suspected diagnosis was confirmed and the patient successfully treated.