Clinical Applications
Bone scan may be used in a variety of clinical conditions, based on its characteristics. It is a noninvasive procedure that explores the whole skeleton in one examination, with excellent sensitivity and satisfactory specificity. In many cases, an etiologic diagnosis can be suggested with accuracy. However, an important number of them, will have to be completed with anatomic procedures or other tests and interpreted in the patient clinical setting to determine the precise cause. The following is a listing of the most relevant indications:
1 Diagnosis of Primary Bone Tumors.
2 Diagnosis of Bone Metastasis (Breast Cancer, Prostate, etc).
3 Pain of Unknown Origin.
4 Inflammatory Diseases (Arthritis, Sacroileitis).
5 Infections (Osteomyelitis, Spondylitis).
7 Metabolic Diseases. (Paget Disease, Osteoporosis, Hiperparathyroidism).
8 Diagnosis of Trauma and Occult Fractures (stress).
9 Evaluation of Joint Prostheses.
10 Bone graft Assessment.
References:
1 Nadel HR.Bone scan update.Semin Nucl Med. 2007 Sep;37(5):332-9.
2 Soroa V y Cabrejas RC. Gammagrafía Osea en Patologia Benigna, p 331-340; Lovera C et al. Gammagrafia Osea en el estudio de la patologia tumoral, p 341-347; Minoves M Patologia Deportiva Osteoarticular, p 369-381 in: Medicina Nuclear Aplicaciones Clínicas. Eds: I. Carrio - P. González. Editorial Masson, Barcelona España, 2003.
3 Kevin J. Donohoe et al. Society of Nuclear Medicine Procedure Guideline for Bone Scintigraphy 2.0. 2001-2002: 167-171.