Skeletal scintigraphy in children has not generally been possible until the past 5 yr, since only 87m Sr 18 F and the phosphate compounds of 99m Tc are recommended for pediatric use and their availability has been limited until very recently. The literature on pediatric use of 87m Sr and 18 F is reviewed and compared with a series of 200 children scanned with 87m Sr in the author's laboratory. Illustrated examples are given of 87m Sr diagnosis of malignant bone disease, metastatic bone, sarcoma, and soft tissue sarcoma. as well as the nonmalignant diseases osteoarthritis, osteomyelitis, myositis ossificas, growth deformity, and nonunion of fracture. The necessity for waiting an adequate period of time between injection of 87m Sr and scanning is emphasized: at least 2 hr are required for children and 4–5 hr for adults or teenaged patients. The mechanism of uptake of boneseeking nuclides by bone tumors is not known; several theories are considered. Our recent experience suggests that it may be feasible to exploit 87m Sr for its general tumor-localizing properties in addition to its bone-seeking property, as has been done with the radioactive gallium isotopes.