How to Prepare for Your Bone Scan?

No Fasting Required: You can eat normal meals and take your regular daily medications without interruption.

Hydration Requirement: Drink 4 to 6 glasses of plain water (1 liter) during the waiting period between injection and scanning to help wash unabsorbed tracer out of soft tissues and improve bone contrast.

Urination Before Scanning: Empty your bladder immediately before lying on the scanner to prevent an obscured pelvis view.

Metal Removal: Remove keys, belts, jewelry, and metal coins from pockets prior to imaging.

What Happens on the Day of the Scan?

Step 1: Radiotracer Administration (10–15 mins): Low-dose injection of Tc-99m MDP into an arm vein. (If a 3-Phase scan is requested, initial dynamic and blood pool images are taken immediately).

Step 2: The Waiting Period (2.5 to 3.5 Hours): The tracer circulates and incorporates into the hydroxyapatite crystals of active bone tissue. Patients can rest in our comfortable lounge, read, or step out. Some patients need even further waiting hours - 5 to 6 hours, or may need to come next day after 12 - 18 hours/ 24 hours.

Step 3: Gamma Camera Imaging (30 to 60 mins): The dual-head gamma camera slowly moves along the body while you rest comfortably flat on the scanner bed.

Total Time at Facility: Plan for roughly 4 to 6 hours.

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQ)

Q1: Is a bone scan painful, and does the radioactive injection cause side effects?

No. The scan is completely painless aside from the small initial needle prick for tracer injection. Technetium-99m MDP does not cause nausea, drowsiness, or allergic reactions, and it has no nephrotoxic risks like iodinated CT dyes.

Q2: Can family members or children accompany me to the appointment?

While an adult relative can accompany you to the clinic, we advise that pregnant women and small infants avoid prolonged close contact (within 1 meter) during the 24 hours immediately following the scan as a standard radiation safety precaution.

Q3: What is a "Three-Phase Bone Scan," and do I need one?

A Three-Phase Bone Scan captures images at three intervals: blood flow (dynamic), blood pool (soft tissue), and delayed bone uptake (skeletal). It is primarily used for localized orthopedic issues—such as distinguishing cellulitis from osteomyelitis, or identifying complex regional pain syndrome (CRPS)—rather than systemic cancer screening.

Q4: How long does radiation stay in my body after the bone scan?

Technetium-99m has a brief physical half-life of just 6 hours. Combined with normal urinary excretion, the majority of the radiotracer leaves your body within 24 hours. Drinking extra fluids after the test speeds up clearance.

Q5: When will my bone scan report and images be available?

Reports with quantitative hotspot localization and high-resolution whole-body scintigraphy views are generated by our nuclear medicine specialists and provided on the same day or within 24 hours, with digital delivery available for your treating oncologist or surgeon.