Usefulness of Nuclear Whole-Body Bone Scanning for Diagnosis of Leprosy

Abstract

Leprosy, or Hansen's disease, is rare in the United States. Given its rarity, as well as the pathognomonic dermatologic findings, there are few cases in which nuclear medicine imaging plays a role in the diagnostic workup. We present a 39-year-old man who presented with chronic abdominal pain, skin ulcers, and hypercalcemia who underwent computed tomography of the chest and a whole-body bone scan to evaluate for possible underlying neoplasm due to his profound hypercalcemia. Although the diagnosis of leprosy had been established by lower-extremity skin biopsy upon admission, workup for other potential concurrent etiologies of hypercalcemia was performed before initiating therapy. We present the computed tomography scans, nuclear medicine images, and corresponding skin findings of this case.