Bone scan

Alternative names:

scan - bone

What the risks are:

If the patient is pregnant or nursing a baby, the test may be postponed to decrease the chance of affecting the baby. The amount of radioactivity in the tracer is very small, less than that of a conventional X-ray. Almost all of the radioactivity is out of the body within 1 to 2 days. A person with a hypersensitive reaction may develop a rash, swelling, or other allergic side effects.

Special considerations:

This test, when used in conjunction with the patient's history, X-rays, and other laboratory tests is very helpful in determining if the patient has bone lesions or other bone disorders. It is about 50 to 80% accurate.