Services Our Team Schedule Appointment Locations Patient Resources Research and Publications Links		Bone scan Why is a bone scan ordered?  A bone scan may be ordered by your physician in order to localize a problem in the skeleton. The scan is able to form a general picture of the entire bony structure of your body. Areas of increased inflammation or fractures appear as dark spots on scan and can help your physician identify problems that may not be apparent on other imaging studies. A bone scan does not show the fine details of joints or soft tissue, but shows how the bone around a problem site may be reacting. What will happen to me during a bone scan? When you arrive for a bone scan, a technician will inject you with a tracer substance. You will be free to leave for a waiting period of three hours. When you return, you will be placed under a large scanner which will take pictures of your skeleton. The process will last for between thirty to ninety minutes. Images will be best if you are able to remain as still as possible. How does a bone scan work? The chemical tracer that is injected is detected by the scanner. Damaged bones or areas of inflammation will take up more of the tracer than healthy bone and these areas are recorded by the scanner. An image of the skeleton formed and printed or transmitted into a computer to be read by a radiologist and your physician. Different views can be constructed depending on the structures your physician is interested in. Because a bone scan is somewhat similar to an x-ray, you should not have one if there is a possibility you may be pregnant or if you are nursing. Your physician will discuss the results of the imaging studies with you and will be happy to answer any questions you may have