Background. Diseases of the musculoskeletal system (MSS), in particular diseases of joints, are a leading factor for reducing the work ability of the population all around the world. The early diagnosis and treatment for them is a high priority task for clinical medicine. Modern nuclear medicine methods can significantly increase the possibilities in differential diagnostics, optimize treatment and improve the prognosis of diseases of the musculoskeletal system (MOP). Purpose – to study and generalize the world experience of application of modern methods of osteoscintigraphy (OSG) for diagnostics of joints diseases, to define possibilities and prospects of various scintigraphic acquisitions for investigation patients with MSS pathology. Materials and methods. Full-text publications in the databases Scopus, Web of Science Core Collection, PubMed (mostly 2015–2021), international standard guidelines for the diagnosis of MSS pathology and monographs for radionuclide examination methods and hybrid imaging technologies in oncology, orthopedics and traumatology. Results. We received the main approaches for radiological diagnostics of pathological changes in joints and the abilities of osteoscintigraphy. We defined the main principles and analyzed the possibilities and advantages of different nuclear medicine protocols: conventional planar examination of the whole body, 3-phase OSG, single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) and combined technology with X-ray computed tomography (SPECT/CT). Indications for the use of OSG in various pathological changes of ORA have been determined. We considered different patterns of radiation imaging according to the pathogenesis of various pathological processes – systemic arthritis, diseases of the joints of the spine, upper and lower extremities. The possibilities of different radiological methods for diagnosing and application of different modes of OSG depending on the pathogenesis and localization of lesions were analyzed and compared. Conclusions. Performing 3-phase OSG and tomographic modes (SPECT, SPECT/CT) significantly increases the efficiency of the method for the diagnostics, determination of process activity, staging and prevalence of joint pathology, as well as for monitoring the treatment results. The method detects active metabolic processes at an early stage in the vascular, soft tissue and bone phases and determines the condition of the joints of the whole body without additional radiation exposure.
