Osteoscintigraphy (bone scintigraphy) is a diagnostic procedure during which the osteoarticular system is examined. In addition to primary malignant tumors and bone metastases, it helps to detect degenerative and inflammatory processes. The main advantage of bone scintigraphy is that it can detect many pathological changes before they become visible on x-rays.
- Indications for bone scintigraphy
- Methods for performing osteoscintigraphy
- Preparing for the study
- How is bone scintigraphy performed?
- Side effects
- Contraindications
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Indications for bone scintigraphy
Often, a bone scan is used after other tests, such as a CT scan or MRI, have been done. It helps to evaluate detected anomalies and clarify the diagnosis. Scintigraphy is also used in primary diagnosis. It can be used to diagnose the following diseases:
- Primary malignant tumors and metastatic foci in bones.
- Benign neoplasms in bone tissue.
- Bone fractures: for example, hip fracture, stress fractures, which are difficult to visualize on x-rays.
- Other pathologies affecting the skeletal system: spondyloarthropathy, rheumatoid arthritis, enthesopathies, Paget's disease, avascular osteonecrosis, etc.
In oncology, bone scanning is most informative for diagnosing the following diseases:
- Solid (dense) tumors that are highly likely to metastasize to the bones. In particular, such neoplasms include breast, lung, prostate, and kidney cancer.
- Malignant diseases of the blood and lymphoid tissue that metastasize to the bones, including non-Hodgkin's lymphoma and Hodgkin's lymphoma.
- Osteosarcoma and other primary bone tumors.
A bone scan may be done before a biopsy to examine the area from which material will be taken for testing.
Advantages of Sofia Cancer Center
At the Sofia Cancer Center, scintigraphy of skeletal bones is performed using modern equipment. The study is carried out by experienced specialists in the field of radiodiagnostics, strictly following protocols and taking special care of patients.
Advantages of the Sofia Cancer Center:
- experienced doctors, leaders of Russian medicine;
- excellent equipment of the oncology center;
- one of the best equipment in Moscow for bone diagnostics;
- numerous certificates and awards, including JCI;
- 30 years of unique experience and impeccable reputation;
- increased comfort and favorable atmosphere: cozy, warm interior, there is a cafe and a rooftop restaurant with panoramic views;
- individual support around the clinic;
- established cost;
- plenty of parking spaces.
Methods for performing osteoscintigraphy
The essence of scintigraphy is that the patient is injected with a special radiopharmaceutical (radioactive tracer), which accumulates in the bone tissue, and then a scan is performed. The radiopharmaceutical accumulates in the bones over time. How quickly and intensively the accumulation occurs depends on the condition of the bone tissue. This is reflected in the pictures and allows you to distinguish normal from pathology.
There are three main ways to perform scintigraphy:
- Planar scintigraphy is the simplest technique. Allows you to obtain two-dimensional images, as during radiography, which show the distribution of the radiopharmaceutical. This type of examination is often used to detect a primary malignant tumor or metastases in the bones.
- Single-photon emission computed tomography (SPECT) produces a series of contiguous two-dimensional images that also visualize the distribution of the radiotracer.
- SPECT-CT is the most informative technique. During the study, scintigraphy data is combined with images obtained using CT. This makes it possible to obtain three-dimensional images, to judge not only pathological changes in the bones, but also the exact localization of lesions.
1.What is osteoscintigraphy and why is it performed?
Skeletal scintigraphy is a type of examination that allows you to diagnose bone cancer, bone damage and infections. Bone scintigraphy often detects problems weeks or even months earlier than conventional x-rays.
Why is osteoscintigraphy done?
Skeletal scintigraphy is done to:
- Diagnose bone cancer;
- Find the cause or source of unclear bone pain;
- Examine fractures that are difficult to see on x-ray;
- Look for bone damage caused by infections or diseases such as osteosis deformans.
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Preparing for the study
Most often, special preparation for the study is not required. You can eat as usual and take any medications. If you plan to examine the pelvic bones or hip joint, you will need to empty your bladder and rectum before the procedure to ensure clear images.
When going for research, you need to wear comfortable, loose clothing. It is also very advisable to take with you the results of all studies completed previously, a medical record, certificates, extracts - this will help the doctor evaluate the results in a comprehensive manner and establish an accurate diagnosis.
Static and dynamic scintigraphy
Radionuclide scanning can be carried out in static or dynamic mode:
- Static radioisotope scanning is performed once and takes a short period of time, during which the required number of images are obtained in several projections.
Such an examination allows one to identify characteristic changes in tissues, but does not give an idea of the functional state of the organ.
- Dynamic scintigraphy involves sequential multiple scanning at certain time intervals, obtaining a series of scintigrams in the same projections.
By comparing images, doctors estimate the rate of accumulation and/or removal of radionuclides. This gives them the opportunity to judge the preservation or disruption of the functions of various tissues and structures, slowing down or accelerating the metabolic process.
How is bone scintigraphy performed?
The patient is asked to lie on an examination table and an intravenous catheter is placed in an arm or leg. A radiopharmaceutical is administered through it. On average, it takes the radioactive drug 2–3 hours to get into the bone tissue. During this time, the patient remains in the waiting room and is asked to drink 6–8 glasses of water. You can eat: there are no restrictions in this regard.
The patient is then invited into the room where the scanner is installed and asked to lie down on the scanning table. Depending on the type of study, the scanner will be in one position or rotate around the table with the patient, approaching the body. When the device takes pictures, you need to lie still.
The scan lasts on average 30 minutes.
Make an appointment
The clinic is located in the Central Administrative District (CAO) of Moscow, next to several metro stations: Novoslobodskaya, Tverskaya, Chekhovskaya, Belorusskaya and Mayakovskaya.
You can sign up for osteoscintigraphy by phone or through an online form - you have the opportunity to choose a convenient time for the diagnosis.
| Name | Price |
| Skeletal scintigraphy | 5800 rub. |
Side effects
A radiopharmaceutical is a substance that emits radioactive radiation. The most commonly used is technetium-99m. It is safe because the dose a person receives when using it is even less than during a CT scan, and it is completely eliminated from the body after 1-2 days.
Side effects occur in only 1% of patients, and most often they are not dangerous and go away on their own without medical help:
- soreness, redness in the place where the drug was administered;
- unusual taste in the mouth;
- changes in the perception of smells;
- cardiopalmus;
- feeling of discomfort, chest pain.
Treatment of bone metastases of breast cancer in Turkey
Doctors at the Turkish Anadolu Clinic diagnose and treat malignant breast tumors and their metastases in accordance with strict international standards. The most modern equipment and treatment methods are used here; doctors widely use:
- safe and highly informative methods of tumor visualization;
- radiosurgery and radiotherapy;
- robot-assisted operations using the Da Vinci system;
- advanced hormonal, targeted and immunological drugs;
- reconstructive plastic surgery, etc.
To treat bone metastases, Anadolu oncologists use high-precision diagnostic methods, hormone therapy, chemotherapy in accordance with protocols approved by WHO, treatment using the CyberKnife installation and other modern methods of radiation therapy.
Contraindications
Bone scintigraphy is contraindicated in pregnant women because radiation from the radioactive tracer may harm the developing fetus. If a woman is breastfeeding a child, she should do so before the procedure. After the scan, you need to express milk once, and only after that you are allowed to resume breastfeeding. Your doctor will give you more detailed recommendations.
If a patient suffers from a cardiovascular disease and is taking medications to treat it, the doctor should be informed about this. This is not an absolute contraindication to scintigraphy, but during the procedure the condition of such a patient must be monitored more carefully.
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What is a bone scan
Skeletal scintigraphy is a special type of diagnostic that uses small amounts of radioactive material to assess the severity of various diseases and bone conditions, including fractures, infections and cancer.
Content:
- What is a bone scan
- Indications and contraindications for the procedure
- Preparing for bone scintigraphy
- Algorithm for the procedure
- Safety of diagnostics
The diagnostic procedure is non-invasive and, with the exception of intravenous injections, usually painless. The device uses radioactive materials combined with bone tissue (tropic), called radiopharmaceuticals or radioisotopes. Due to them, visualization of bones is carried out, based on their introduction into the patient’s body and subsequent observation of their distribution and interaction with the environment. The skeleton becomes visible on a special device by capturing gamma radiation from isotopes included in the preparation.
The radioactive energy is detected by a special camera or imaging device that creates a picture of the bones, called a scintigram. The bone abnormality appears as a darkening on the image.
Since the procedure is able to depict the body's functions at the molecular level, it makes it possible to identify the disease at the earliest stages, and therefore select the most effective treatment.
In fact, skeletal scintigraphy, or bone scanning, can often detect bone abnormalities much earlier than conventional x-rays.
Psychological support
Cancer is always a serious stressful situation associated with a strong negative emotional shock. A person who is faced with this disease should be surrounded by his family and friends and provide him with full support. In addition, professional psychological assistance is also important, which can be obtained in special groups and from specialists in the form of counseling. The main thing is that a person should not be left alone with his illness. Anadolu doctors are well aware of the importance of psychological support, so the patient can always count on a caring and attentive attitude.
The material was prepared in agreement with Anadolu physician and medical oncologist Yeshim Yildirim.
CT scan of facial bones: what does it show?
The most common injuries to the skull occur on the facial part. They are accompanied by fractures and displacements of the facial bones. The structure of the front part is quite complex. It is represented by the frontal, jaw and many smaller bones. Standard radiography does not give a complete picture of injuries and fractures of small bone parts of the face. The CT model visualizes tumor formations of benign or malignant origin. The examination is often performed using contrast.
Indications for scanning the facial part of the skull are:
- facial injuries with visual determination of displacement of fragments, swelling of soft tissues, hematomas, internal hemorrhages;
- signs of inflammation on the skin surface of the face;
- changes in the tone of facial muscles;
- assumption of the presence of a tumor;
- with certain contraindications to MRI.
In certain circumstances, the information content of the study is necessary for the surgeon, ENT doctor, CT scan of the facial bones, which shows the condition of the air sinuses of the nose, orbits, the position of an unerupted tooth, adjacent soft tissue structures, the presence of original or metastatic tumors, and also before surgery.
CT scan of the temporal bones: what does it show?
The paired temporal bone of the skull has a complex anatomical structure with many ducts, auditory ossicles, and endings of cranial nerves. It is functionally important for the inner and middle ear system and is a hard part of the external auditory canal. When diagnosing ENT diseases, it is advisable to perform a CT scan of the temporal bones, which shows:
- pathology of the eardrum;
- inflammation of cellular areas;
- neoplasms of various origins;
- deviations in the anatomy of the inner ear;
- otosclerosis;
- ear infection;
- hemorrhages, hematomas;
- bone fractures.
The inner ear is inextricably linked with the pyramids of the temporal bones, ensuring body position and balance. It is important to pay special attention to CT scans of the pyramids of the temporal bones, which shows the structure of the endolymphatic ducts, superior bulbs of the internal jugular vein, and mastoid processes. Some pathological conditions can be recognized by detailed study of photographs of the pyramids of the temporal bones. The examination reveals the following pathological conditions:
- injuries, fractures of the edges of the pyramids of the temporal bones;
- purulent foci in the corresponding area of the brain;
- internal pyramidal bleeding;
- changes consistent with the infectious process;
- degenerative transformations.
A three-dimensional high-precision CT image model of the pyramids of the temporal bones, which shows the smallest subtleties of the structure, is indispensable when planning surgical treatment.