A Case of Pediatric Leg-Length Difference After Tibial Fracture Predicted by Bone SPECT/CT

An 11-year-old boy underwent a bone single-photon emission computed tomography/computed tomography (SPECT/CT) scan 3 months after fracturing his right tibia. The standardized uptake values (SUVs) of the growth plates in his right tibia were higher compared to those in the left tibia. One year later, the right leg was 10 mm longer than the left leg with higher SUVs in the right tibial growth plates. After performing epiphysiodesis at the right proximal tibia, the leg-length difference (LLD) decreased from 17 to 12 mm with the decrease of SUVs in the growth plates of the right tibia. This case emphasizes the potential of quantitative analysis using bone SPECT/CT in predicting LLD and determining the necessity of length equalization surgery in pediatric lower limb fractures.