Bone Scan

What is a bone scan test?

A bone scan is a test our Piedmont Healthcare imaging team uses to detect areas of increased or decreased bone density. The test is performed to identify abnormal processes involving the bone, such as tumors, infections or fractures.

If a bone scan is performed to evaluate a possible fracture or infection, images will be performed at intervals, called a three-phase bone scan.

Images are obtained only after the three-hour delay to evaluate metastatic bone disease. Information from the camera is recorded on a computer, which then processes the data and creates an image.

The scanning part of the test lasts about an hour and may require moving to various positions.