Bone scintigraphy

Special information about this examination

Indications (reason for examination): general diseases that change, usually increase bone metabolism.

• Deteriorative diseases (arthritis)
• Bone inflammation
• Bone circulatory disorders (osteonecrosis)
• Healing problems after breaks, the use of joint prostheses or after other operations on bones

• Unexplained pain in bones
• Pain, which still persists after injury without any direct evidence of a break on the x-ray
• Bone tumours or tumour-like changes
• After-care with malignant diseases that may lead to bone metastases

Drink plenty. The patient does not have to come to the examination nil by mouth.

General information on nuclear medicine

Nuclear medicine

More information

www.radiologie.de 
www.nuklearmedizin.de

Examination procedure:

After the injection of a phosphate complex labelled radioactive into a vein, the patient must wait at least two hours, until sufficient activity has accumulated in the bones to produce an image of these using a gamma camera. During this time, the patient must drink at least one bottle of water to eliminate as much of the radioactive material accumulated in the bones through the kidneys. Just before the examination starts, the patient is sent to the toilet again to empty their bladder. The scintigraphic images are usually produced with patients lying on their back, whilst the gamma camera first travels completely down the front and then down the back of the body. If necessary, additional SPECT images are produced, where the gamma camera rotates around certain sections of the body.

Special examinations:

For further information about, e.g. bone inflammation or the loosening of endoprotheses, two other examination stages are required first so that the increased circulation in a suspect region can be analysed better. This is called three phase scintigraphy. For this the first scintigraphy images are taken immediately after the injection of the radiopharmaceutical using the gamma camera.

How long the examination takes: up to 5 hours, depending on additional action (i.e. SPECT, additional images).