I don’t know how to read a bone scan
I had my bone scan today. I went in at 9:30 and they took an initial scan of my lower and mid legs and injected me with some radioactive tracer stuff. Then we left the hospital (picked up some race packets and got lunch), let the radioactive tracer make its way around my body, and went back at 12:30 to do the same scans, plus scans of the outsides of my legs. The outsides of my legs took over 15 minutes each and I “accidentally” fell asleep!
I got a CD copy of the films to share with my doctor tomorrow morning, and of course, I had to take a peek!
But… I don’t know what anything means! Last year I hurt my inside right shin, and this year, my outside left leg hurts. I don’t really see anything in those spots… guess I can run this half marathon on Sunday! Ha ha.
What do you think about those random black dots? Good or bad? We’ll find out soon…
Have you ever had a bone scan or any other fancy pants (read:$$$) medical procedures done?
Themocracy
I had a bone scan done (to test for osteoporosis caused by anorexia) back in 2001. It focused on my spine and pelvis, and I can’t remember much about it. I definitely didn’t have radioactive tracer. I have no idea what the black dots are! I want to know though!
Hi Kim…I’ve really enjoyed reading your blog but I can’t remember if I’ve commented before. I’m really bad about reading something at work and meaning to comment once I get home and then forgetting or getting lazy.
Anyway…
I’m in the business side of healthcare with enough clinical knowledge to make me dangerous, but…my understanding is that darker spots on a bone scan indicate an area that may have been injured (stress fracture, commonly)and is being repaired. The tracers are attracted to areas where the bone cells are most “active” (repairing themselves). You can see a darker spot consistently on your right shin in both the posterior and anterior views. There is also a spot that seems to show up in the left lateral view just above your ankle. Both are consistent with where you have had trouble in the past.
What does this mean? I have no idea! Is it possible that you still have a stress fracture on the right or that one is forming on the left?
Thanks for sharing the images and I hope they are able to figure out what it is!
Hi Melissa! Thanks for commenting. I wonder if your analysis will be spot on! The doctor is going to call me today, so I will have to update with the prognosis!!!
Based on what I know, I agree w/ what melissa says. Usually those dark spots are where bone is growing faster than others.
I think you can still run 🙂
I like your optimism. I told my husband I am ready to run. He keeps rolling his eyes…
I’ve had a bone scan before but they didn’t give hte images to me, they just sent them to the doctors so I never even got to see!
I had a bone scan earlier this spring. I had to wait for three hours while the dye went all throughout my body – pain!
Anyways, from my understanding (which is minimal), a normal bone scan should appear uniform and gray, symbolizing that all the radioactive material is evenly distributed throughout. Dark spots are areas where there is an increased accumulation of the radioactive material.. meaning I guess some sort of inflammation or injury is stopping the material from even distribution.
Was yours normal and gray?
My degree is in criminal justice so all I can say is the bone scan doesn’t indicate you killed anyone. (LOL – Sometimes I crack myself up.) Good luck with the results!!
I agree with what Melissa said above although I have no healthcare experience at all. Hopefully you can figure out what the scans mean!
and I too am with Melissa. Hope everything is good to go for you!
I tried to read your bone scan, but I cant. I hope the black spots arent bad, I dont think they are. I agree with everyone else. 🙂
How cool that you got to see this! I mean it stinks that you are injured enough to need to do it but if you have to, you might as well get to see it,right?
I have had TONS of fancy pants medical testing done. When I had to have the radioactive iodine treatment for the cancer, my insurance refused to cover it because they said it wasn’t necessary. My doctor said it was so we paid for it ourselves. It was VERY expensive! But worth it if it worked to kill the rest of the cancer!
I did think it was cool I got to see this. It’s funny. The doc wrote “give copy to PT (patient)” and when I got there I asked the receptionist if I could have a copy and she said it was take 2-3 days. But I asked the guy who took my scans (and was a cool guy) and he was like “sure, we’ll get you a CD.” LOL.
I thought about you when I asked that question. It really frustrates me what insurance will and will not cover. What are we supposed to do?
I’m no medical expert, but if I had to gander a guess about those spots, I’d say they were bone chips or scarring from healed bone fractures. Fingers crossed you hear good news.
I have no personal experience with this kind of stuff but lots of my Boston cronies do. I’d say the dark spots may be ‘areas of interest’. Hope you get good news soon! have a great race!!!
I know nothing about reading any kind of medical stuff! I hope those dark spots are nothing to worry about. Are you going to take the doctor’s advice and take a calcium supplement?
I’ve had several different kinds of scans and a biopsy on my thyroid. Thankfully all was well.