Bone Scan
Bone scans can help diagnose subtle or hidden fractures that may not show up
on x-rays. Additionally, these scans can help detect bone cancer, bone
infections and arthritis. A bone scan uses tiny amounts of radioactive materials
called tracers that enable the camera to detect problems.
The
scan can be divided into two parts:
The injection. You will receive an injection of a tracer into a vein in your arm. You'll then wait about two to four hours to allow the tracers to circulate and be absorbed by your bones. You may be allowed to leave the health care facility while you're waiting. Your doctor will ask you to drink several glasses of water so you'll urinate frequently — this removes unabsorbed radioactive material from your system.
The scan. During the scan, you'll be asked to lie very still on a table while a machine with an arm-like device supporting the gamma camera passes over your body and records the pattern of tracer absorption in your bones. This is painless. A scan of your entire skeleton takes about 30 minutes.
