Bone Scan

A bone scan is a procedure that uses a radioactive chemical to view the bones in your body. The chemical is called a radiotracer. Although the thought of radioactive material in the body may be scary, this substance is very safe. The amount of radiation it gives off is slight. It is less than the amount used for a standard chest x-ray.

Bone scans can help find problems with your bones, such as tumors, infection, and arthritis. A bone scan can often detect problems long before they would show up on a plain x-ray.

One to three hours before the scan, a small amount of radiotracer is injected into your vein. Radiation given off by this substance can be seen on a special x-ray screen.

After the injection of radiotracer, you will drink several glasses of water to get rid of any chemical that has not been picked up by your bones. (The excess chemical is filtered by your kidneys.) You will be asked to empty your bladder just before the scan is begun.

Remove any jewelry or metal objects before you have the scan.

The scanning generally lasts 30 to 60 minutes and is painless. You may be asked to get into various positions on the scanner table. You need to keep still when you are being scanned. As the scanner moves over your body, it detects the radiation from the radiotracer in your skeleton. An image is developed on a film or paper chart. Areas of concentrated radiation show up as "hot spots." These areas may be the sites of a problem, such as an infection.

After the scan, the injection site will be checked for redness or swelling. Your body will get rid of the radioactive substance within 36 hours.

The radiologist will send a report of the scan to your health care provider.

The bone scan examines your entire skeleton. It may show if you have disease in your bones. The scan may help your health care provider make a more accurate diagnosis of your problem.

The radioactive substance is generally safe for adults. In very rare cases, you may have an allergic reaction to the liquid injected into your vein. You should ask your health care provider how this risk applies to you.

The radiotracer may not be safe for a fetus or infant. Therefore, bone scans are not performed on women who are pregnant or breast-feeding.

Call your health care provider right away if you develop hives.

Call your health care provider during office hours if:

• You have questions about the procedure or its result.
• You want to make another appointment.