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Abstract

Modern sports activities are associated with a high incidence of spine pain. Generally, the injuries seen are classified to their time of onset or specific injuries related to the vulnerable skeletal locations. Spinal fracture is fortunately very rare for incidences that are associated in contact sports activities. Prevention of spinal injuries and early diagnosis are the first priorities since delayed diagnosis may cause structural instability and early osteoarthritis or abnormal bony maturity. When plain radiographs of a patient with persistent symptoms reveal negative findings, a bone scan with single-photon emission computed tomography, computerised tomography scan or magnetic resonance imaging scan can be performed. Nuclear medicine imaging techniques, encompassing the visualisation and characterisation of biological processes at the molecular and cellular level, are useful techniques in localising the site of spinal injuries which are inconspicuous on the structural conventional imaging techniques.

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Abbreviations

CT:

Computed tomography

Ga (GS):

Gallium-67

GS:

Gallium scan

HMPAO:

Hexamethylpropyleneamine oxime

i.e.:

That is

In:

Indium-111

LBP:

Low back pain

MDP:

Methyl diphosphonate

MIP:

Multiple image projection

MRI:

Magnetic resonance imaging

SAP:

Superior articular process

SPECT:

Single-photon emission computed tomography

Tc:

Technecium-99

WBC:

White blood cells

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Correspondence to Fathinul Fikri Ahmad Saad .

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Ahmad Saad, F.F., Md Shah, M.N., Nordin, A.J. (2015). Nuclear Medicine Imaging of Spine Injuries. In: Glaudemans, A., Dierckx, R., Gielen, J., Zwerver, J. (eds) Nuclear Medicine and Radiologic Imaging in Sports Injuries. Springer, Berlin, Heidelberg. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-662-46491-5_12

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-662-46491-5_12

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