Bone Scan of the Spread of Prostate Cancer

Image of a bone scan showing prostate cancer

Courtesy of Intermountain Medical Imaging, Boise, Idaho.

A bone scan is a test that uses a radioactive tracer to look at the bones of the body. Areas that absorb little or no amount of tracer appear as dark or "cold" spots. Areas of fast bone growth or repair absorb more tracer and show up as bright or "hot" spots in the pictures.

Figure 1 shows a normal whole-body scan. Figure 2 shows cancer of the prostate that has spread to the spine.

Credits

ByHealthwise Staff
Primary Medical ReviewerAnne C. Poinier, MD - Internal Medicine
Specialist Medical ReviewerMyo Min Han, MD - Nuclear Medicine
Last RevisedOctober 1, 2012
By: Healthwise StaffLast Revised: October 1, 2012
Medical Review: Anne C. Poinier, MD - Internal Medicine
Myo Min Han, MD - Nuclear Medicine

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