How To Understand The Results Of A Bone Scan 13 Steps

Although your doctor will likely be reluctant to give you the original bone scan to take home, he must legally provide you with a copy if you ask. The office might charge you a small copying fee. A bone scan is done to show problems with bone metabolism — the process of building and recycling bone tissue. [2] X Trustworthy Source Mayo Clinic Educational website from one of the world’s leading hospitals Go to source Some activity is normal, but too much or too little bone remodeling is a sign of disease or injury.

You don’t need to learn detailed physiology or anatomy, but you should know what bones the radiologist is referring to in her written report of your bone scan results. The most common bones that are noted on bone scans are the vertebrae (spinal bones), pelvis (ilium, ischium, and pubis), ribs, wrists (carpal bones), and leg bones (femur and tibia).

Bone scan images can be taken from either your front or back. Looking at the head, you can sometimes see from which direction it was taken, but not always. Instead of words, bone scans and other diagnostics images may be orientated by marker letters, such as L (left), R (right), F (front), or B (back).

If you have osteoporosis, for example, your doctor will likely recommend a yearly or bi-yearly bone scan to monitor progression of the disease. If a bone infection is suspected, images may be taken shortly after the radio-tracer is injected into you and again three to four hours later when it’s collected in your bones — this is called a 3-phase bone scan. [5] X Research source

Diseases that cause bone destruction include aggressive types of cancer, bacterial bone infection, and osteoporosis (leads to weakening and fractures). Some bones can normally appear slightly darker than other bones because of their increased metabolic activity. Examples include your sternum (breastbone) and parts of your pelvis. Don’t mistake these for diseases. In some cases, as with lesions resulting from multiple myeloma, hot spots will not appear on a bone scan. A CT or PET scan may be more helpful to identify signs of this type of cancer.

Lytic lesions — associated with multiple myeloma, bone cysts, and certain bone infections — may show up as cold spots. Cold spots can indicate poor circulation due to a blood vessel blockage (atherosclerosis) or benign tumor. Cold spots and hot spots can appear simultaneously on a bone scan and represent different but concurrent diseases or conditions. Although lighter cold spots are abnormal, they typically represent conditions that are less serious than those represented by darker hot spots.

With the notable exception of avascular necrosis, which shows up as cold spots on a bone scan, all the other above-mentioned conditions show up as hot spots. Common osteoporosis hot spots to see on a bone scan include the upper thoracic spine (mid-back), the hip joints and/or the wrists. Osteoporosis leads to fractures and bone pain. Cancer hot spots can be seen in virtually any bone. Bone cancer often spreads (metastasizes) from other cancer sites, such as the breasts, lungs, liver, pancreas, and prostate gland. Paget’s disease causes hot spots along the spine, pelvis, long bones and skull. [10] X Research source Bone infections are most common in the leg, feet, hand, and arm bones.

Like other diagnostic imaging tests, such as x-rays, any metal on your body will make the bone scan images look white or lighter than surrounding areas. Tell the radiologist and/or technician if you have any metal fillings in your mouth or metal implants in your body, so they can make note of it and not confuse them with disease processes. Wearing clothes that are easily removed is a good idea because you may be asked to wear a hospital gown.

There are other imaging tests for bone that are safer for pregnant women, such as MRI studies and diagnostic ultrasound. Short-term osteoporosis is not uncommon with pregnant women who are malnourished because minerals are leached from their bones to provide for the growing baby.

Bismuth is found in a variety of medicinal products, such as Pepto-Bismol, Kaopectate, Devrom, and De-Nol. Bismuth and barium can cause areas of your body to look too light on bone scans

It’s estimated that a bone scan exposes you to no more radiation than a conventional full-body x-ray does and less than half that of a CT scan. [15] X Trustworthy Source Mayo Clinic Educational website from one of the world’s leading hospitals Go to source Drinking lots of water and fluids starting immediately after a bone scan for 48 hours can help to flush out any radioactive tracer left in your body. [16] X Research source If you must have a bone scan while breastfeeding, pump and throw away your breast milk for two to three days so your baby isn’t harmed.

Call your doctor immediately if any signs of an allergic reaction become obvious once you get home after your appointment. The radioactive tracer takes between one to four hours to be absorbed by your bones, although most allergic reactions occur within 30 minutes of the injection.

Signs of a more significant infection include severe throbbing pain and pus drainage at the injection site, numbness and tingling in your involved arm, fatigue, and a fever. Make sure the doctor or technician cleans your arm with an alcohol swab or wipe just prior to the injection.