by 
The Curious Bag
-
A bone scan in an advanced imaging technique that uses radioactive dye to enhance the scan image. It identifies bone growth or degradation to evaluate bone damage, the presence of cancer or other bone-related conditions. It can find problems days to months before they would show up in a normal X-ray.
How Is It Done?
The radioactive tracer is injected into your arm and allowed to soak into your bones for several hours. The tracer shows up brighter on the scan; "dark spots" where no tracer is present indicate limited or no blood flow, which can mean problems.
Does It Hurt?
Other than the injection, you might not feel any pain. If your condition that required the scan is painful, you could feel discomfort during the actual scan (usually one hour).
I Have to Wait?
Yes, you have to wait after the injection. It can take two to five hours for the tracer to completely soak into the bones, so you should bring a book.
What Else Will Happen to Me?
You will be asked to drink a lot of water while you are waiting to flush out the radioactive material that isn't absorbed by the bone. This way the scan images won't be compromised by radioactive dye in your bladder.
Risks
Allergic reactions are rare and the radioactive material is quite weak, so it doesn't pose a health threat. Just make sure to wash your hands well after going to the bathroom for the next day.
Source:
RELATED QUESTIONS
Copyright 2023, Wired Ivy, LLC