SKELETAL SYSTEM

Requisition Forms

Bone Scintigraphy

Procedure description:

A common functional imaging sensitive diagnostic procedure performed for the detection of both benign and malignant osseous abnormalities. Bone scans can detect altered metabolic activity much earlier than structural changes appear on anatomic radiographs or cross-sectional imaging such as CT and MRI.

There are 4 types of bone scintigraphy:

  • Whole-body bone planar scintigraphy is performed to obtain anterior and posterior static images of the entire axial and appendicular skeleton.

  • Limited-area skeletal planar scintigraphy (spot-view imaging), was performed to obtain additional views after whole-body imaging, with a specific focus on the area of interest.

  • Multiphase bone scintigraphy (3-phase), includes blood flow/ vascular images (phase 1), immediate blood pool/ soft tissue images (phase 2), and delayed / skeletal images (phase 3).

Clinical Indications

  • Skeletal metastatic disease and staging (e.g. neuroblastoma or cancers of the prostate, breast, lung, or kidney).

  • Primary bone tumors (benign and malignant)

  • Occult or stress fractures and shin splints.

  • Osteomyelitis.

  • Avascular necrosis.

  • Prosthetic hardware complications.

  • Fibrous dysplasia as well as Page disease.

Patient preparation:

  • Patients should be well-hydrated and drink two or more 8-ounce glasses of water between the time of radiopharmaceutical injection and the time of delayed imaging.