Bone scan now scared !!!

Hi I had a bone scan thurs they were are asking me loads questions in there about op rads chemo why I never no but then I had to have more scans on my head he then went on to say have u hit y head and of course I haven’t so now worried sick as anyone else had sim exp I gtg back on may 3rd for results that’s ages to wait worrying everyday many thanks laura

Hi Laura

They do tend to ask lots of questions with bone scans because there are other things that can cause hot spots other than cancer, so they need a bit of history. Sorry you have to wait until the 3rd for results - maybe you could push for an earlier appointment?

finty x

Hi thanks it’s funny never had the questions before and I’ve had 3 maybe a new thing don’t think I can it was earliest one with bank hols and that

Maybe it’s just me then, but I always have lots of questions about do I get any pains here and there, as I think plenty of wear and tear has shown up on my scans.

I had loads of questions when i had my bone scan had to tell them about a fractured spine, pain in knee in case it was arthritis as all these things show up. Dont worry to much.

Yea I told them all maybe because wasn’t like first time I thought was diff I’ve got arthuritis to so hopefully they won’t mix it up

i get my results tomorrow from my bone scan after the scan they wanted to do xrays too now i know this wasnt wot i went for
chest xrays and shoulder xrays not looking forward to tomorrow now

Honeybee121
That’s v intreasting as from what I understood as it’s a bone can they cld only see bones and no organs or anything else but I’m new to this so cld be wrong hope u get the results u want tc laura

Laura & honeybee it is not at all unusual to ask for other scans resulting from a bone scan. The bone scans just show up areas of general damage to bones - what they call hot spots. They often ask me a lot of questions too - to try and get a clearer picture of what they are looking at. Damage such as broken bones from way back will show up as will areas where you may have had arthritis. If they see things that are not completely clear they will ask for xrays or mri scans in addition. It is really hard at first because all these extras are scary but a lot of them can be to rule out bone mets.

Dawn
xx

Laura - a bone scan isn’t like other scans in that you don’t see any clear images of the bones, as you would in an x-ray or a ct scan. They get a small image of the whole skeleton and what they are looking for is hot spots - these show up as dark areas, where unusually high cellular activity has taken up more of the nuclear isotope you are injected with. That could be cancer, or an injury, or arthritis, or a healing tumour.

But it’s hard to see exactly where a hot spot is, so interpreting what hot spots are is quite an art. For what it’s worth, my radiologist got it wrong twice. If you are not convinced that the bone scan is definitive, I would encourage you to ask for further imaging. It’s much easier to make a diagnosis with a combination of images, but it’s worth understanding what the limitations of each type of scan are. For instance very small tumours will not show up on x-rays or ct scans, but should show on a bone scan.

Oops Dawn beat me to it!

Oh i see ok I’ll see what he says then ask I have read on here they got someone dx wrong wasn’t bone sec just arthritis thanks again xx

Hi Laura, it was Saffronseed who had her dx of bone mets reviewed in a second opinion and it was confirmed that it was other changes. It is not as straightforward as it seems. After my bone scan, the radiographer told me to remain in the room, despite all the questioning prior to the scan about previous tests etc., she said she needed to see the consultant about the scan and would need to get an authorisation for an immediate xray. This wasnt planned and completely threw me. I went off for the xrays and waited 10 days for the results which showed “degeneration”. But the agony of waiting! Fingers crossed for you. xxx

tina thats wot happend to me when i went for bone scan was ask to wait out side while they ask the consultant and ended up with having 2 xrays too ,wouldnt mind but i was only having scan as i have pain down left side and under ribs , i know i have arthritis in my joints so it will be intresting to see wot wens results say

Hello all.I am just looking for some advice and would be grateful if anyone here knew what I should do next? Three yrs ago and almost over night my life changed.I began to get excruciating pain when I walked or stood for too long I was only 39. It got so bad I didn’t leave my home unless in necessity and my son wjo was 9 then would have to put my shoes on before he went to school.18 months later I’m sent for an MRI scan by a scope practitioner not a consultant my results determine slight wear,and tear but nothing major.I knew this was absolutely wrong my diagnosis said at the bottom of the letter unchecked and un signed what ever that may mean?Still in pain nothing had changed and totally desperate to get answers.My drs surgery shuts down taking some months to obtain a new one however finally I do and again have to go through repeating what had happened and my other problems being I have one kidney the other functions at 70℅.But by this time the pain had spread all over my body my knees and feet and hands swell and get red hot showing pictures of taken to my new doctor who sends me to a consultant.I see one and show her my pictures she appeared quite baffled saying she had not seen anything quite like it before and sends me for a full body bone scan.I arrive no questions no advice wasn’t told to empty my bladder or drink fluid after I know this now as a result of reading forums such as this I was injected at 11 and finally scanned at 5.30.Seven months later I am ringing around hospitals to find out my results I get the consultants sectary who was away from the phone for some time to be told she had found them on a shelf and would get them typed up and sent out immediately They arrived quickly and to my horror again the letter stated dictated but unsigned the diagnosis is unbelievable it says nothing wrong with me? However this is incorrect as I had an extra when my back first played up and it was determined I had osteoarthritis and my back had a slight curve.My fingers and toes have bone spurs clearly visible and some knobbly things on the palms of my hands.I wake every day in so much pain mainly in my elbows o can’t even touch them they are that painful .Everything was resting on these results I thought finally I will get the right treatment and medication I don’t want anymore pain killers I can’t function properly on them they make me sleepy they are the highest dose of pre gabalin I just want my life back and answers as to what is happening to me ? I know this scan result is wrong I’m desperate to find answers I can’t live like this in pain my hands contorting like my mum’s and grans,however I’m told nothing’s wrong with me? How do I go about getting someone to re examine my scan and a second opinion I’m so tired of this and now this surgery is closing in February don’t even know if I have one to go too? unlike the other surgery they found me this one but this one has nothing in place for me at all.My health is declining rapidly I see no light at the end of my tunnel.