Why You Need a Bone Scan

Bone renewal and growth is a natural part of the body's metabolism--the processes of generating and using energy. A bone scan is an imaging procedure that looks for areas of abnormal metabolism in the bones.

Procedure

• In a bone scan, a radioactive material is injected into a vein and travels through the bloodstream, releasing radiation as it goes. A radiation-detecting camera moves slowly over the body and creates images of the amount of radiation in the bones. Depending on the reason for the bone scan, there may be a delay between injection and imaging.

Reasons

• Bone scans may be performed for a variety of reasons, including to find abnormalities in the bones that may signify certain health conditions. A bone scan can also help a doctor diagnose slight or hidden bone fractures that are not obvious on an X-ray.

Conditions

• According to the Mayo Clinic, bone scans are used to look for conditions like arthritis, joint infections, bone tumors, fractures, Paget's disease and avascular necrosis.

Cancer

• A bone scan can help determine whether breast, prostate or lung cancer has metastasized, or spread to the bones.

Risks

• The National Institutes of Health states that the amount of radiation injected is very small and is eliminated in two to three days. Allergic reactions to the radioactive material are rare, but can include rash, swelling and anaphylaxis.