Bone scintigraphy

Principle and interpretation

Increased uptake may accompany fracture, arthritis, infection or tumor. Some lesions show little uptake; a negative scan does not exclude every bone disorder.

Indications, limitations and precautions

Findings are correlated with symptoms and anatomical imaging. The test involves a radiotracer and ionizing exposure; pregnancy and breastfeeding should be reported for appropriate instructions.

Points to consider

An investigation is selected to answer a specific question about bone, neural tissue, metabolic activity or vessels, for example. Techniques provide different information. Preparation and precautions vary by protocol; follow the imaging service’s instructions.

Role of TAGMED care

At TAGMED, assessment aims to understand symptoms, history and functional limitations. Manual care and osteopathy, motorized spinal decompression, laser and shockwave have different indications. The term described in this entry is not enough to select any of these modalities. Their relevance, limitations and possible contraindications should be discussed in relation to diagnosis and individual goals.

Related concepts and distinctions

These concepts belong to the same field, but are not synonyms.

• Spinal angiography — Examination of spinal and cord vessels, often using catheterization and contrast injection, to define selected vascular abnormalities.
• SPECT-CT — Hybrid examination combining single-photon emission computed tomography with CT to anatomically localize radiotracer uptake.
• CT myelography — CT performed after suitable contrast is introduced into the subarachnoid space to assess the dural sac and neural structures.

Medical references

1. American College of Radiology / RSNA, RadiologyInfo. Bone Scan.
2. Radiological Society of North America. RadLex Radiology Lexicon — terminology resource.

References document the topic; their inclusion does not imply endorsement of TAGMED services by those organizations.