A bone scan is an imaging test that shows areas of increased or decreased bone turnover (metabolism).
Alternative NamesScintigraphy - bone
How the test is performedA bone scan involves injecting a radioactive material (radiotracer) into a vein. The substance travels through the bloodstream to the bones and organs. As it wears away, it gives off radiation. This radiation is detected by a camera that slowly scans your body. The camera takes pictures of how much radiotracer collects in the bones.
If a bone scan is done to see if you have a bone infection, images may be taken shortly after the radioactive material is injected and again 3 to 4 hours later, when it has collected in the bones. This is called a 3-phase bone scan.
To evaluate metastatic bone disease, images are taken only after the 3 to 4 hour delay.
The scanning part of the test will last about 1 hour. The scanner's camera may move above and around you. You may need to change positions.
You will probably be asked to drink extra water after you receive the radiotracer to keep the material from collecting in your bladder.
How to prepare for the testYou must remove jewelry and other metal objects. You may be asked to wear a hospital gown.
Tell your doctor if you are or may be pregnant.
Do not take any medicine with bismuth in it, such as Pepto-Bismol, for 4 days before the test.
How the test will feelThere is a small amount of pain when the needle is inserted. During the scan there is no pain. You must remain still during the examination, and you will be instructed when to change positions by the technologist.
You may experience some discomfort due to lying still for a prolonged period of time.
Why the test is performedA bone scan is used to:
Test results are considered normal if the radiotracer moves evenly throughout all the bones in your body.
What abnormal results meanThe images should show that the radioactive material has been evenly distributed throughout the body. There should be no areas of increased or decreased distribution. "Hot spots" are areas where there is an increased accumulation of the radioactive material. "Cold spots" are areas that have taken up less of the radioactive material.
What the risks areIf you are pregnant or nursing, the test may be postponed to prevent exposing the developing baby to radiation. If you must have the test while breastfeeding, you should pump and throw away the breast milk for the next 2 days.
The amount of radiation injected into your vein is very small, and nearly all radiation is gone from the body within 2 - 3 days. The radiotracer that is used exposes you to a very small amount of radiation. The risk is probably no greater than with routine or conventional x-rays.
Risks related to the bone radiotracer are rare, but may include:
There is a slight risk of infection or bleeding when the needle is inserted into a vein.
Special considerationsSome abnormalities that may be identified on radionuclide bone scans include:
It is important to understand that bone scan findings must be compared with other imaging studies, in addition to clinical information. You should always discuss the significance of abnormal findings with your health care provider.
ReferencesRobert E. Coleman, Ingunn Holen, Bone metastases. In: Abeloff MD, Armitage JO, Niederhuber JE, Kastan MB, McKena WG, eds. Clinical Oncology. 4th ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Elsevier Churchill Livingstone; 2008:chap 57
Baker LH. Bone tumors: primary and metastatic bone lesions. In: Goldman L, Ausiello D, eds. Cecil Medicine. 23rd ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Saunders Elsevier; 2007:chap 212.
Wiki User
∙ 13y agoA bone scan is a nuclear imaging test that helps to diagnose and track conditions affecting the bones, such as fractures, infections, tumors, or Arthritis. It involves injecting a small amount of radioactive material into the bloodstream and then using a special camera to detect abnormalities in the bones. The test is typically used to assess bone health, identify bone damage, or determine the spread of cancer to the bones.
Wiki User
∙ 12y agoA bone scan is an imaging test that shows areas of increased or decreased bone turnover (metabolism).
Alternative NamesScintigraphy - bone
How the test is performedA bone scan involves injecting a radioactive material (radiotracer) into a vein. The substance travels through your blood to the bones and organs. As it wears off, it gives off a little bit of radiation. This radiation is detected by a camera that slowly scans your body. The camera takes pictures of how much radiotracer collects in the bones.
If a bone scan is done to see if you have a bone infection, images may be taken shortly after the radioactive material is injected and again 3 to 4 hours later, when it has collected in the bones. This is called a 3-phase bone scan.
To evaluate metastatic bone disease, images are taken only after the 3 to 4 hour delay.
The scanning part of the test will last about 1 hour. The scanner's camera may move above and around you. You may need to change positions.
You will probably be asked to drink extra water after you receive the radiotracer to keep the material from collecting in your bladder.
How to prepare for the testYou must remove jewelry and other metal objects. You may be asked to wear a hospital gown.
Tell your doctor if you are or may be pregnant.
Do not take any medicine with bismuth in it, such as Pepto-Bismol, for 4 days before the test.
How the test will feelThere is a small amount of pain when the needle is inserted. During the scan there is no pain. You must remain still during the examination, and you will be instructed when to change positions by the technologist.
You may experience some discomfort due to lying still for a prolonged period of time.
Why the test is performedA bone scan is used to:
Test results are considered normal if the radiotracer moves evenly throughout all the bones in your body.
What abnormal results meanThe images should show that the radioactive material has been evenly distributed throughout the body. There should be no areas of increased or decreased distribution. "Hot spots" are areas where there is an increased accumulation of the radioactive material. "Cold spots" are areas that have taken up less of the radioactive material.
What the risks areIf you are pregnant or nursing, the test may be postponed to prevent exposing the developing baby to radiation. If you must have the test while breastfeeding, you should pump and throw away the breast milk for the next 2 days.
The amount of radiation injected into your vein is very small, and nearly all radiation is gone from the body within 2 - 3 days. The radiotracer that is used exposes you to a very small amount of radiation. The risk is probably no greater than with routine or conventional x-rays.
Risks related to the bone radiotracer are rare, but may include:
There is a slight risk of infection or bleeding when the needle is inserted into a vein.
Special considerationsSome abnormalities that may be identified on radionuclide bone scans include:
It is important to understand that bone scan findings must be compared with other imaging studies, in addition to clinical information. You should always discuss the significance of abnormal findings with your health care provider.
ReferencesColeman RE, Holen I. Bone metastases. In: Abeloff MD, Armitage JO, Niederhuber JE, Kastan MB, McKena WG, eds. Clinical Oncology. 4th ed. Philadelphia, Pa: Elsevier Churchill Livingstone; 2008:chap 57
Lerner A, Antman KH. Primary and metastatic malignant bone lesions.In: Goldman L, Schafer AI, eds.Cecil Medicine. 24th ed.Philadelphia,PA: Saunders Elsevier; 2011:chap 208.
Reviewed ByReview Date: 12/06/2011
David C. Dugdale, III, MD, Professor of Medicine, Division of General Medicine, Department of Medicine, University of Washington School of Medicine; Jatin M. Vyas, MD, PhD, Assistant Professor in Medicine, Harvard Medical School; Assistant in Medicine, Division of Infectious Disease, Department of Medicine, Massachusetts General Hospital. Also reviewed by David Zieve, MD, MHA, Medical Director, A.D.A.M., Inc.
A bone scan is typically done to detect bone abnormalities such as fractures, infections, arthritis, or tumors. It can also help diagnose conditions like osteoporosis and monitor the response to treatment for these conditions.
Yes, a bone density scan, also known as a dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry (DXA) scan, uses a small amount of ionizing radiation to measure bone mineral density. This radiation exposure is very low and considered safe for most people.
Physiological increased uptake in a bone scan refers to the normal uptake of the radioactive tracer by certain structures in the body, such as the bones, liver, and spleen. This uptake is considered to be within the expected range and does not necessarily indicate any abnormality or disease. It is important for the interpreting physician to distinguish between physiological uptake and abnormal uptake associated with a pathology.
A bone density DEXA scan usually takes about 10 to 30 minutes, depending on the specific areas being examined and the machine being used. The procedure is quick and painless as it involves lying on a table while a scanner passes over the body to measure bone density.
The past tense of "scan" is "scanned."
Yes, but bone scan has to be completed first.
No, a bone scan shows bone metabolism.
A bone scan, or x-ray is simply a different type of scan than an MRI. No kind of scan is better than another, it simply depends what the scan is trying to ascertain.
I got a full body bone scan and it costed around 4,000, give or take.
Bone density
A bone scan is typically done to detect bone abnormalities such as fractures, infections, arthritis, or tumors. It can also help diagnose conditions like osteoporosis and monitor the response to treatment for these conditions.
An old fracture may not show up on a bone scan if it has completely healed with no active inflammation or increased metabolic activity present at the site. The presence of old breaks on a bone scan largely depends on the healing process and the resolution of any previous damage to the bone.
In a CAT scan, dense bone tissue appears white in color. This is because the high density of bone absorbs more X-ray beams, leading to less penetration and a brighter appearance on the scan.
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There are a few different tests which are used to check for osteoporosis. The most common is the DEXA scan. Other methods are blood tests and bone densitometry.
i want to know what actually goes into a bone scan. A nuclear medicine bone scan images the physiology, or function of the bones in the body. An injection of the material your bones use to repair themselves if given to the patient. The only difference between the drug and the natural substance is tha we attach a radioactive atom to each of the drug molecules so that our cameras are able to image the drug as the body uses it. The idea of the scan is that any damage or abnormality of the bone will have an increase, or decrease in bone repair, therefore showing up lighter, or darker on the scan.
Black spots on a bone scan may indicate areas of increased bone activity or hot spots, which can be caused by conditions such as fractures, infection, inflammation, or bone tumors. These areas typically show up as dark areas on the scan due to higher uptake of the radioactive tracer used in the scan.