Nuclear Medicine Bone Imaging

Nuclear medicine bone scans are a highly effective diagnostic tool, particularly when conducted in conjunction with other radiologic examinations. Typically, bone scans are used to diagnose a variety of skeletal conditions that cover the entire skeleton or occur in a specific location, including metastatic bone cancer, bone infections, or bone injuries. For each procedure, a small amount of a radiopharmaceutical agent is administered to the patient before scanning, and areas of the body that might be damaged or under repair will adsorb the agent. In general, bone scans are noninvasive with little to no adverse effects and are an important step in assessing the health of the skeletal system.