dpd scan dpd scan a dpd scan is a type of nuclear medicine imaging test which uses radioactive technetium-99m (99mtc) and 3,3-diphosphono-1,2-propanodicarboxylic acid (dpd) to diagnose cardiac amyloidosis. the radiopharmaceutical is taken up only in patients with attr amyloidosis, making it a useful tool to differentiate from al amyloidosis. for the amyloid scan used in diagnosis of alzheimer's disease, see positron emission tomography § neuroimaging. amyloid deposition in aortic stenosis shown by dpd scan dpd is a diphosphonate and can be used as an alternative to hdp or mdp in nuclear medicine bone scintigraphy. procedure dpd scanning typically uses a gamma camera to obtain spect images, with an injection followed by an initial scan after 5 minutes, and a second scan after 3 hours. images are often scored using the "perugini system" whereby: grade 0 – no cardiac uptake and normal bone uptake grade 1 – cardiac uptake which is less intense than the bone signal grade 2 – cardiac uptake with intensity similar or greater than bone signal grade 3 – cardiac uptake with much attenuated or absent bone signal availability dpd is not currently available in the united states.