If your doctor has recommended a bone scan, you may have questions about the procedure. This guide will explain how a bone scan is performed, how to prepare for the appointment, and what potential findings may indicate.
While this guide outlines potential findings, your doctor will provide your official diagnosis and next steps during your follow-up appointment. For those who prefer early access, PocketHealth offers secure, instant access as soon as your report is uploaded. This allows you to review your results and prepare questions for your doctor in advance.
Also known as skeletal scintigraphy, a bone scan is a medical imaging technique used to evaluate and assess bone health. A small amount of radioactive material, called a radiotracer, will be injected into your body. This is also known as nuclear medical imaging. A scanning machine with a gamma camera will capture images of the radiation for analysis. The way the radiotracer is absorbed, distributed or moves within your tissues and bones can provide valuable information about your health.
Pelvic bone scan
Bone scans are used to assess and diagnose various bone conditions, diseases and disorders. Specific purposes include:
The bone scan appointment consists of two parts. First, you will visit the imaging clinic and receive an injection of the radiotracer in your arm. It may take 2 to 4 hours for the radiotracer to circulate through your body and be absorbed by your bones. As a result, there will be a time gap between the injection and the actual scan. However, some patients may undergo the scan immediately after the injection and again a few hours later.
You will often be asked to drink four to six glasses of water to help flush the excess radiotracer from your body before the scan. You may also be asked to urinate beforehand to ensure a more accurate measurement of the radiotracer in your body.
Some clinics may allow you to leave and return for the second part of your appointment, but this varies by facility.
During the scan, you will lie on the exam table and remain still as the gamma camera slowly moves around your body to capture images. The technician may ask you to change positions occasionally.
After the appointment, you should be able to resume your normal activities. However, many providers recommend drinking additional water to help flush the radiotracer from your system more quickly, as it will pass through your urine and stool. It is also recommended that you wash your hands thoroughly with soap and warm water. In some cases, you may be advised to flush the toilet twice after use. These are helpful precautions, but remember that your radiation exposure is low (about the same as having an X-ray) and you are not considered a risk to be around others.
Here are some tips to keep in mind when preparing for your bone scan appointment that may help you be better prepared.
Here are some common questions patients have regarding their bone scan results.
Turnaround times for imaging results can vary widely depending on the facility and your doctor’s availability. Often, patients wait a week or more and receive their results during a follow-up appointment. With PocketHealth, your imaging results are securely accessible as soon as they’re approved for release by the hospital or imaging clinic. This allows you the opportunity to review your results and prepare questions ahead of your follow-up visit.
Your imaging results are interpreted by a radiologist—an expert in medical imaging—who carefully reviews your scans and provides a detailed report of any findings. This report is then sent to your referring physician, who, with a deeper understanding of your medical history and past exams, can offer further insights and recommendations on next steps in a follow-up appointment.
Bone scan of the chest area
To help you understand your bone scan results, PocketHealth provides clear definitions and illustrations for complex medical terms—plus an in-depth explanation of your full imaging report. This is paired with highlights of key anatomy in your imaging to help you better comprehend what you’re looking at.
This guide will briefly discuss some common findings in bone scan reports.
The radiotracer has baseline levels of expected absorption within different tissues and bones, referred to as uptake. In bone scans, “hot” and “cold” spots indicate abnormal results:
It is important to remember that specific diagnoses typically require additional testing and imaging, so there is no need to panic. Additionally, some patients may have naturally different rates of tracer uptake than the average baseline. Aging can also affect absorption levels, which may be considered normal. Your doctor will guide you through any recommended next steps if unusual findings are reported.
If the tracer is evenly distributed or behaves within expected baseline parameters, this is considered a normal result. The absence of “hot” and “cold” spots also indicates normal findings.
Here are some commonly asked questions patients have regarding bone scans.
CT scans (computed tomography) are a type of X-ray that creates detailed images of your organs, bones, and other internal structures. In contrast, a bone scan uses a radiotracer to produce more detailed 3D images. The gamma camera detects the radiation from the tracer and captures these images, using radiotracer uptake to further assess bone health. Since each scan provides different views and levels of detail, many providers use both scans together to gain a broader understanding of the patient’s condition.
Though cancer detection and evaluation is a common reason for a bone scan, it is far from the only one. Injuries, inflammation, arthritis, bone diseases, osteoporosis and other conditions can also necessitate this procedure.
Bone scans are generally considered safe and low-risk. However, in rare cases, some patients may have an allergic reaction to the radiotracer. If you experience symptoms such as a rash, itching, or feeling unwell after the radiotracer is administered, inform your technician immediately.
A bone scintigraphy can cost anywhere from a few hundred dollars to over a thousand, depending on the areas being scanned and the level of detail required in the imaging. Many insurance plans will cover at least part of the cost, but they often have certain prerequisites. Typically, the billing department at your medical provider’s office or the imaging clinic will check your benefits in advance to confirm coverage.
If you’re concerned about costs, contacting your insurance company directly to understand any potential financial responsibility may be helpful. Be sure to ask for the official medical codes, as they are often needed to get an accurate answer. Your doctor’s office should be able to provide you with this information.
Lastly, remember that in this case, a bone scan (skeletal/bone scintigraphy) is a nuclear imaging test. Many clinics also use the term “bone scan” to refer to a DEXA (dual-energy X-ray absorptiometry) test, which measures bone density and assesses osteoporosis risk. While both tests are related to bone health, they are quite different. Be sure to clarify the test type when speaking with your insurance provider, as the costs can vary significantly.
PocketHealth makes it simple to keep track of your medical imaging results. All of your images and reports are permanently available in one secure location and can be accessed online—anytime, anywhere. Reports can also be easily shared with other members of your care team, if needed. When used in conjunction with your medical provider’s professional advice, it is a powerful tool to better understand your imaging results.
PocketHealth also provides personalized health insights based on the findings in your report to help you stay on top of any next steps. This includes clearly surfacing any follow-up actions found in your report and generating customized questions to ask your doctor so you can make the most of your follow-up appointment.
Depending on your region, you’ll also have the option to determine your risk of having low bone mineral density (BMD) using Rho, a Health Canada licensed computer-based screening tool that analyzes your existing X-rays.
While the process of a bone scan may feel overwhelming, better understanding your results and working closely with your healthcare team can give you the best chance of managing your condition and protecting your health.
Published: November 17, 2024
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