Full Body Bone Scan

[kittykat]

Has anyone had a full body bone scan?  Tryin to determine if the white spots are better or worse than the dark spots....Any advice is welcome...

kk

 

[Dkaramazov]

Has anyone had a full body bone scan?  Tryin to determine if the white spots are better or worse than the dark spots....Any advice is welcome...

kk

It's hard to really say. There are so many different reasons for white and dark spots. White could indicate arthritis, degenerative bones, fractures, etc. Dark spots, called hot spots could be due to the leftover radioactive material from the dye in your body from the scan. This radioactivity could just be residual, so in that case there would be nothing to worry about. Having said this, it is really tough to say definitively without seeing the scan first-hand.

 

[kittykat]

It's hard to really say. There are so many different reasons for white and dark spots. White could indicate arthritis, degenerative bones, fractures, etc. Dark spots, called hot spots could be due to the leftover radioactive material from the dye in your body from the scan. This radioactivity could just be residual, so in that case there would be nothing to worry about. Having said this, it is really tough to say definitively without seeing the scan first-hand.

Thank u sir

 

[Dkaramazov]

Thank u sir

You're quite welcome kitty. I have some knowledge regarding this, because of my studies in college and some first-hand experience, but like I said there can be a myriad of reasons. I hope everything turns out well for you. You're in my prayers.

 

[HYPNOTIC.]

It's hard to really say. There are so many different reasons for white and dark spots. White could indicate arthritis, degenerative bones, fractures, etc. Dark spots, called hot spots could be due to the leftover radioactive material from the dye in your body from the scan. This radioactivity could just be residual, so in that case there would be nothing to worry about. Having said this, it is really tough to say definitively without seeing the scan first-hand.

Good answer DKaramazov, I'll just add my experience years back.

I had a bone scan when I was 21 and it was pretty weird. I drank the radioactive tracer instead of having it injected and had to wait 4 or 5 hours and come back to the hospital where they examined the results. It looks like the opposite of a radiograph (x-ray) in that the bones are dark against a white background not white against a black background. I could see the areas of my body where the tracer had deposited, ie bladder, kidneys, ureters...

The Doctors were looking for "hot" and "cold" spots. The scan uses a mildly radioactive dye to measure bone metabolism. "Hot" areas--areas that are abnormally bright on the scan and indicate that there is increased bone turnover in that area. Osteoblasts (bone building cells and Osteoclasts (cells that break down bone). The cold areas on the scan are abnormally dark compared with the surrounding bone and this can indicate that there is less bone breakdown and regrowth in that area. It can show where necrosis or bone death has taken place due to lack of blood supply. This can happen on the head of the femur. Hot spots may be indicative of inflammation or a tumor, whereas cold spots can be a sign of decreased blood flow to an area.

 
A tumor was what I had in my right middle finger (payback for flipping too many people off) It was bright white but there were no other areas of metastasis. In a malignant tumor or cancer it probably would have shown up in the lower spine. That's why they give patiients with prostate cancer bone scans to see if it has spread to the lumbar vertebrae.

Bone scans are good for detecting abnormalities in bone breakdown and metabolism, but they are not good for determining the cause of these abnormalities. Other tests like MRI's are needed to go with the x-rays and bone scan.

~Young

 

[SkyAngel]

Is this the type of scan a Rheumatologist would do?