Bone Scan Procedure

There are around 206 bones in the adult human body. Bone scan is a test which is used for diagnosis of diseases and disorders related to the bones. A bone scan is a nuclear scanning test to determine any damage to the bones, or monitor any affected area of bones and find the metastasized cancerous growth. Bone scan is different from the X-ray test. The spread of bone cancer or any other cancer to the bone is determined by a bone scan. Unlike the bone density scan, this bone scan test involves administration of radioactive elements before the test. In this scan, a small amount of intravenous marker (IV) is injected, and then after three hours the patient is placed through the scanner. Let us take a detailed look at the bone scan procedure.

Need for Bone Scan

Bone scan procedure is primarily used to assess the spread of metastatic cancer. Metastatic cancer is the spread of cancer from one body part to another. Bone scan is recommended by doctors in the following conditions.

• The location of an abnormal bone structure or bone breakdown is perfectly determined in the bone scan. The age of fractures is also determined by the bone scan procedure. Bone scan is helpful in finding out the location and cause of unexplained bone pain. After a bone scan, computed tomography (CT) or magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) is conducted to perform the further evaluation.
• Hip fractures or stress fractures usually cannot be diagnosed with the help of an X-ray. Such types of broken bones are well determined in the bone scan. Shin splints can be diagnosed with a bone scan as well.
• Infection and inflammation in the bones can be determined in the bone scan. Osteomyelitis is a bacterial bone infection is diagnosed in the bone scan procedure.
• Bone cancer can be diagnosed using a bone scan. Even if the patient has cancer in any other body part, apart from the bones, it may spread to the bones. This spread of cancer can be tested in the bone scan.

Bone Scan Procedure

• The bone scan procedure involves scanning the whole body or a part of the body. A radioactive tracer element is injected in the vein in the arm. The radioactive tracer element travels in the bloodstream and in the bones. This takes a few hours and then the patient is placed in a scanner.
• The scanner is a gamma camera that takes pictures of the tracer in the bones. The function of bones and cell activity is determined using a camera. The radioactive substance in the body emits gamma rays, and these gamma rays are detected with a camera which senses the gamma rays. The camera generates electrical signals and these signals are sent to the computer. The intensities of the gamma rays are different in different areas.
• Usually, the affected area emits a lot of gamma rays and appears to be red in the picture developed by the computer. These spots which are darker than the rest of the picture are called hot spots. Tumors, arthritis, fracture and infection are indicated by hot spots.
• The spots in the picture which are brighter are called cold spots. Lack of blood supply and certain types of cancer or abnormal bone growth is indicated with the brighter areas.
• The radioactive elements are excreted from the body via the urine. It is advisable to drink plenty of water so that your body gets rid of the radioactive element as soon as possible.

It is recommended that you must consult a physician in cases like pregnancy, breastfeeding or if you have undergone a barium X-ray test within past 4 days. Lastly, the bone scan cost is also important factor. The cost of bone scan depends on exactly which part of the body is to be scanned. Approximately it can be around $600, but then again factors like location, number of bones to be scanned, etc., would alter the price. This was all about the bone scan procedure.