What is a bone scan?
Bone scans are a nuclear medicine imaging tool which can be used to diagnose and monitor bone conditions including cancer, inflammation or infection, arthritis and fractures.
A bone scan involves an injection of a radioactive tracer, which travels through your body. The tracer will be absorbed by affected cells or tissue, allowing the nuclear medicine scanner to produce images which show where the tracer has accumulated. This will help determine the location and progress of your condition.
Bone scans are available at all Qscan Radiology Clinics which offer nuclear medicine.
Before your bone scan, a nuclear medicine technologist will ask you questions about your clinical history and explain the scan to you. You will have a chance to ask any questions you may have about the examination.
A bone scan appointment is conducted in two stages.
At the first appointment, a technologist will administer the tracer through a cannula, usually in your arm or hand. The tracer will disperse through your body between 2-4 hours. During this time you will be asked to remain hydrated, emptying your bladder as needed. The technologist will tell you what time to return for your delayed images later that day.
When you return for your delayed images, your technologist will ask you to empty your bladder as best you can, and then take you through to the nuclear medicine machine. You will lie on the scanning bed, as it moves through the scanner.
It is important that you lie as still as possible while the scanner is operating. The duration of the scan will depend on what your referring doctor has requested.
We will let you know how long your appointment is scheduled for at the time of booking.
After your scan, a technologist will generate the images and upload them onto our private electronic database. Our dual-trained subspecialist radiologists will interpret the images, produce a report, and send it to your referring doctor. Our radiologists have very close working relationships with many of the referring doctors and will contact them urgently if appropriate.
Our friendly customer service team will ask you some questions, and advise of specific preparation at the time of booking.
Please remain well hydrated before your bone scan appointment.
When booking your scan, please notify staff if you:
• think you may be pregnant
• are breast feeding
• are severely claustrophobic
Having accurate dates for your medical history, including surgeries, will also help in the booking process.
On the day of your scan, please bring all relevant imaging, if you have had scans conducted elsewhere, so it can be uploaded onto our system for comparison.
The amount of radiation used in a nuclear medicine scan is typically small. Health experts feel the risk to your health from this is very small and the benefits of the diagnostic information obtained usually outweigh any potential risks.
If you are pregnant or think you may be pregnant, please let us know.
Our friendly team will advise you of any required after care following your scan. After a nuclear medicine scan you may continue with your normal daily activities, unless advised otherwise by your healthcare practitioner.
Please drink plenty of water and stay well-hydrated for 24 hours after your bone scan.
It is recommended to avoid close contact with children and pregnant women for 4 hours post-injection.
If you are breast feeding, it is advised you do not breast feed for 6 hours post-injection of the tracer, to minimise radiation exposure to the baby.
Our friendly customer service team can advise you of all costs involved with your bone scan including any out-of-pocket costs, if relevant. Please contact us for a quote or to book your appointment.
