Cold exposure-induced rhabdomyolysis demonstrated by bone scintigraphy

This report describes a case of acute renal failure due to rhabdomyolysis that developed after prolonged exposure to cold. A 47-year-old man visited a mountain during winter wearing only casual clothes and became lost at temperatures below freezing for 8 hours. Upon admission, the patient complained of a tingling sensation and numbness in the both upper and lower extremities with anuria. The serum blood urea nitrogen, creatinine, creatinine kinase, and myoglobin levels were elevated. Bone scintigraphy on the second day revealed increased activity in the superficial muscle groups in the abdomen, back, buttock, thighs, legs, and arms, which was compatible with rhabdomyolysis.