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Sign up for our free e-mail newsletter, HEALTHbeat.   Email address:     Incontinence Weight Loss Prostate Disease Vitamins and Minerals Aching Hands See All Titles Common Medical Conditions Wellness & Prevention Emotional Well Being & Mental Health Women’s Health Men’s Health Heart & Circulatory Health   contact us		Bone Scan What is the test? How do I prepare for the test? What happens when the test is performed? What risks are there from the test? Must I do anything special after the test is over? How long is it before the result of the test is known? View other tests What is the test? This is a nuclear scan, also called a radionuclide scan. In a bone scan, a radioactive tracer accumulates in places in your bones with a lot of repair activity. In this way, the tracer is used to identify areas that might be injured due to a fracture, bone infection, arthritis, or invading cancer. The tracer gives off gamma rays, which can be detected using a specialized camera. The camera relays information to a computer to produce images of the bones being scanned. In the images, bright spots appear in the areas where the tracer has collected. Bone scans are most frequently done for people with cancer to see if the cancer has spread to bones. Back to top > How do I prepare for the test? Tell your doctor if you might be pregnant. Back to top > What happens when the test is performed? The test is performed in the radiology department of a hospital. You will be given a radionuclide. A machine with a specialized camera moves around you. The procedure is painless, but the machine can be noisy. The scan usually takes less than an hour. Back to top > What risks are there from the test? The radioactivity you are exposed to is too small to cause side effects or complications except to a fetus. The small amount of radioactivity rapidly diminishes. Back to top > Must I do anything special after the test is over? No. Back to top > How long is it before the result of the test is known? Results are usually available within a few days. Back to top > View other tests
		Click to enlarge Medical Tests: A Practical Guide to Common Tests Are you the type of person who panics when sent for even the most routine medical test? Medical Tests: A Practical Guide to Common Tests provides you with information about common screening and diagnostic medical tests so that you can breathe easier. You’ll learn why the test is needed, how to prepare for it, what happens during the test, and so much more. Now you can go in prepared!. Read more
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