[Value of bone gammagraphy and pain in the follow-up of carcinoma of the prostate].

We reviewed 382 bone scans from 161 patients with prostatic adenocarcinoma submitted to scintigraphic evaluation over the period 1980 to 1988. Each patient had a mean of 2.37 bone scans (1 to 9 scans). Seventy-three patients had positive scans (64 initially and 9 in the course of patient follow-up). Sixty-four presented bone pain (56 initially and 8 in the course of the disease). The remaining 17 patients were asymptomatic throughout follow-up; however, bone metastasis was undemonstrable. In our view, pain is a reliable indicator of the appearance or progression of bone metastasis. Routine follow-up bone scans are unnecessary in patients with positive or negative scintiscans who remain asymptomatic.