The authors present two cases in which the ruptured popliteal (Baker's) cysts remained undetected and were diagnosed only during an isotope investigation. The aim was to describe a specific imaging sign, the “arch sign”, that is indicative of ruptured Baker's cysts. In both cases, the whole-body imaging was performed 2 hours after injection of 706.7 MBq of Tc-99m-MDP. Single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) imaging was performed to localize an accumulation of the radiopharmaceutical. An analysis of literature was performed to connect these cases with previously reported data and to detect the pathognomonic radio image sign of ruptured popliteal cysts. The arch-shaped distribution of the radiopharmaceutical below the knee joints was seen already on the whole-body bone scan image in both cases. An anterior view of SPECT MIP images showed the arched accumulation of the Tc-99m-MDP bone tracer along the postero-medial aspect of the right calf secondary to synovial fluid leak from a ruptured Baker's cyst. The similar arthroscintigrams were published since 1971 without recognizing this sign as pathognomonic. Tc-99m-MDP bone scanning is sensitive for a Baker's cyst with synovial effusion, and distribution of a radiopharmaceutical in the medial posterior calf in a shape of an arch, the arch sign, may serve as an indicator of a ruptured popliteal cyst.
Knee Joint ; Popliteal Cyst ; Synovial Fluid ; Tomography, Emission-Computed ; Tomography, Emission-Computed, Single-Photon

The authors present two cases in which the ruptured popliteal (Baker's) cysts remained undetected and were diagnosed only during an isotope investigation. The aim was to describe a specific imaging sign, the “arch sign”, that is indicative of ruptured Baker's cysts. In both cases, the whole-body imaging was performed 2 hours after injection of 706.7 MBq of Tc-99m-MDP. Single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) imaging was performed to localize an accumulation of the radiopharmaceutical. An analysis of literature was performed to connect these cases with previously reported data and to detect the pathognomonic radio image sign of ruptured popliteal cysts. The arch-shaped distribution of the radiopharmaceutical below the knee joints was seen already on the whole-body bone scan image in both cases. An anterior view of SPECT MIP images showed the arched accumulation of the Tc-99m-MDP bone tracer along the postero-medial aspect of the right calf secondary to synovial fluid leak from a ruptured Baker's cyst. The similar arthroscintigrams were published since 1971 without recognizing this sign as pathognomonic. Tc-99m-MDP bone scanning is sensitive for a Baker's cyst with synovial effusion, and distribution of a radiopharmaceutical in the medial posterior calf in a shape of an arch, the arch sign, may serve as an indicator of a ruptured popliteal cyst.