Bone marrow scintigraphy as a useful method for estimating the physiological status of bone marrow and spleen in polycythaemia vera

Bone marrow scintigraphy is a simple and noninvasive examination useful to define the status of the bone marrow and spleen in polycythaemia vera (P.V.). Despite the absence of specificity of Indium 111 labelled transferrin (In-Tf) for myelopoietic tissue, there is a close correlation between bone marrow In-Tf uptake and bone marrow cellularity and between splenic In-Tf uptake and splenic metaplasia. The results of scintigraphy are compared to clinical data, radioactive iron kinetics, bone marrow and spleen histology and the course of the disease. The diagnostic and prognostic value of bone marrow scintigraphy is discussed, particularly at the stage of transformation of P.V. into post polycythaemia myeloid metaplasia (post-P.V.M.M.).