Stability of Standardized Uptake Values of Quantitative Bone SPECT for the Jawbone Lesions: A Single-center Cross-sectional Study

Background: The long waiting time for bone uptake after radiopharmaceutical injection in bone scintigraphy is a burden for patients with poor health. Thus, we aimed to investigate the equivalence between maximum standardized uptake values (SUVmax) for imaging with 2- and 3-h uptake times. Methods: Thirty patients with jaw osteomyelitis or medication-related osteonecrosis of the jaw who underwent single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) twice in the same day were enrolled. The SUVmax for the normal parietal bones and jawbone lesion was calculated using a quantitative analysis software, and values for 2- and 3-h uptake times were compared. Bland–Altman plots were used to determine the limits of agreement (LOAs) for the difference in SUVmax between 2- and 3-h uptake times for the parietal bones and jawbone lesion. Results: The LOA ranged from − 0.33 to 0.25 in the parietal bones and %LOA ranged from − 9.8–17.3% in the jawbone lesion, proving high equivalence. The SUVmax showed no clinical differences between 2- and 3-h uptake times for technetium-99m hydroxymethylene diphosphonate SPECT of the jawbone. Conclusions: This is the first study to demonstrate that the uptake time in jawbone SPECT can be reduced to only 2 h, justifying a 2–3-h uptake time margin.