What is Bone Scan?

In case of emergency, call 911.

The test is done to detect an abnormal process involving your bone, including the following:

• Stress injuries (eg, stress fracture , shin splints )
• Infection ( osteomyelitis )
• Arthritis
• Bone tumors
• Cancer
• Trauma
• Metabolic disorders (eg, Paget’s Disease )
• Nutritional disorders that can affect bones, like low vitamin D levels (eg, rickets )
• Death of an area of bone tissues due to blocked circulation ( avascular necrosis )

Stress Fractures © 2009 Nucleus Medical Media, Inc.

Possible Complications

Complications are rare, but no procedure is completely free of risk. If you are planning to have a bone scan, your doctor will review a list of possible complications, which may include:

• Allergic reaction to the injected material
• Infection

Some people worry about the use of slightly radioactive material. The amount of radioactivity is very small. It is eliminated from the body within 2-3 days.

Be sure to discuss these risks with your doctor before the test.

Call Your Doctor

Call your doctor if you have questions about the test, your condition, or your test results.