A bone scan could also be executed on an outpatient foundation or as a part of your keep in a hospital. Procedures might fluctuate relying in your situation and your healthcare supplier’s practices.
You can be requested to take away any clothes, jewellery, or different objects that will get in the best way of the scan. A bracelet together with your title and an identification quantity could also be put in your wrist. Chances are you’ll get a second bracelet in case you have allergy symptoms.
In case you are requested to take away your clothes, you’ll be given a robe to put on.
An IV (intravenous) line shall be began in your hand or arm for injection of the radioactive tracer.
The tracer shall be injected into your vein. The tracer shall be allowed to gather within the bone tissue for a interval of 1 to three hours. Chances are you’ll be allowed to stroll round and even go away the ability throughout this time. You’ll not be hazardous to different individuals, because the tracer offers off much less radiation than a typical X-ray.
Throughout the ready interval, you will want to drink 4 to six glasses of water to assist flush out any tracer that doesn’t accumulate within the bone tissue.
In case your bone scan is being executed to search for bone an infection, a set of scans could also be executed proper after the injection of the tracer. One other set of scans shall be executed after the tracer has been allowed to gather within the bone tissue.
When the tracer has been allowed to gather within the bone tissue for the correct amount of time, you’ll be requested to empty your bladder. It’s because a full bladder can distort the bones of the pelvis and should turn into uncomfortable throughout the scan.
You can be requested to lie nonetheless on a padded scanning desk. Any motion might have an effect on the standard of the scan.
The scanner will transfer slowly over and round you many instances because it detects the gamma rays given off by the tracer within the bone tissue.
Chances are you’ll be repositioned throughout the scan to get sure views of the bones.
When the scan has been accomplished, the IV line shall be eliminated. It takes about 1 hour to do a full physique scan.
Whereas the bone scan itself causes no ache, having to lie nonetheless for the size of the process could be uncomfortable, notably in case you have lately had surgical procedure or an harm. The technologist will use all doable consolation measures and full the process as shortly as doable to scale back any discomfort or ache.