What Is a Bone Scan With a Dye Injection?

A bone scan is a medical imaging test that identifies areas of a patient’s bones that have an abnormal rate of metabolism. The test uses a radioactive tracer dye that may accumulate in bone areas because of a medical disorder.

Reasons

• According to the U.S. National Library of Medicine, a patient may have a bone scan test to provide images that help doctors diagnose a cause of bone pain or to evaluate progression of medical disorders such as cancer or osteoporosis.

Procedure

• A radioactive tracer dye is injected into a patient’s vein and the material spreads throughout the patient’s body giving off radiation. A bone scanning camera is passed over parts of the patient’s body to measure radiation and identify areas of the bones that give off abnormal amounts of radiation.

Preparation

• Patients may not wear metal objects during the test and they should not use medications with bismuth for four days prior to the test.

Risks

• Doctors may postpone the test for pregnant women to prevent an unborn baby from experiencing radiation exposure. Reactions to the radioactive tracer material often prove rare and may include swelling, a rash or a severe allergic reaction, says the U.S. National Library of Medicine.

Abnormalities

• Abnormal bone scan results may occur in areas of bone that have a bone tumor, degenerative bone diseases or bone infections. Bone infections and fractured bones may be found on a bone scan.