Question 1

are all bone scan hot spots some sort of cancer?

Accepted Answer

No -Nonspecific: Called "false positives" when this is the case.  Can be in joints (common); prior fractures; benign bony abnormalities. Next step may be mri, plain x-rays or biopsy t better characterize or define cause.

Question 2

malignant melanoma causing hot spots on bone scan?

Accepted Answer

Possible: Melanoma does have the ability  to travel to bone and would show up on a bone scan. However other processes (non-malignant) can also also light up on a bone scan. Only a biopsy could tell for certain.

Question 3

bone scan normal except tracer uptake hot spots in both big toes. no pain here, labs neg for osteo + ra. don't exercise, what else could explain this?

Accepted Answer

Early gout?: Early gout, among others, may affect preferentially the big toes.

Question 4

is dark spot appearing on bones by bone scan cancer?

Accepted Answer

Could be...: ...But bone scans can be non specific and other events happening in the bone (even arthritis or old fractures) can show up too.  Needs to be put in context. Why was it done?  Any symptoms?  Do you have already been diagnosed with cancer?  Old trauma?  Whosoever ordered that test needs to sit with you and go over its implications and what else to do. Best to you.

Question 5

can enthesopathy (on bone scan) at  the achilles' tendon insertion; indicate both an old allusion injury and "new" rejury in the same spot.

Accepted Answer

Depends on phase: Usually enthesiopathy on bone scan is detected when some calcification is in tendon or reactive change in bone where tendon attaches. These findings are usually chronic in nature. If a three phase scan is performed evidence of hyperemia, some increased activity, can be seen on early soft tissue phases(usually acute or subacute injury)  which will disappear on delayed osseous phase.

Question 6

the hospital found  a dark spot on my 
left lung, was too have a biopsy  but 
they  changed  to a bone scan whitch i
will have in a few days. why .?

Accepted Answer

Bonds scan?: While i can see reasons were a bone scan might be useful, i would usually order a pet scan in such a situation. If your doctors are concerned for lung cancer, then they are looking for evidence that it has spread. If it has spread, then biopsy of the metastasis is more important than biopsy of the lung nodule.

Question 7

painful spot on spine @ thoraco-lumbar junction. no radiating or deferred pain, or numbness. mri & bone scan results normal. myofascial trigger point?

Accepted Answer

Back pain: Thoraco Lumbar junction is a high stress zone. Has there been any trauma? In the absence of any MRI evidence of disc herniation, there may be a role for chiropractic manipulation. Have you tried anti-inflammatory medication as well?

Question 8

had full body bone scan had mottled white spots on hands wrists and feet legs black on my upper spine and a big black spot on the side of my face?

Accepted Answer

Bone scans: Require some experience to interpret. I advise you wait for the radiologist's report which is usually available within 24 hours.

Question 9

what are the bright white spots on a bone scan?

Accepted Answer

Isotope deposits: A bone scan invovles injecting a radioisotope into the body.  The brighter white areas are where the body has deposited more of the isotope than the less bright areas.  Some of this is normal, such as in the bladder but some of these areas may be abnormal.

Question 10

will lytic lesions light up on bone scan? doesn't it just show osteoblastic activity, not -clastic? or do osteoclastic maybe show up as "cold spots"?

Accepted Answer

Smart question: I wondered about that myself. It could be the balance between blastic (forming) and clastic (dissolving) bone which determines the lighting process. Usually, lytic are cold and do not light up. Blastic lesions do. Thanks.

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Doctor answers about:

Hot spot bone scan

A member asked:

Are all bone scan hot spots some sort of cancer?

A member asked:

Malignant melanoma causing hot spots on bone scan?

A member asked:

Bone scan normal except tracer uptake hot spots in both big toes. no pain here, labs neg for osteo + ra. don't exercise, what else could explain this?

A member asked:

Is dark spot appearing on bones by bone scan cancer?

A member asked:

Can enthesopathy (on bone scan) at the achilles' tendon insertion; indicate both an old allusion injury and "new" rejury in the same spot.

A member asked:

The hospital found a dark spot on my left lung, was too have a biopsy but they changed to a bone scan whitch i will have in a few days. why .?

A member asked:

Painful spot on spine @ thoraco-lumbar junction. no radiating or deferred pain, or numbness. mri & bone scan results normal. myofascial trigger point?

A member asked:

Had full body bone scan had mottled white spots on hands wrists and feet legs black on my upper spine and a big black spot on the side of my face?

A member asked:

What are the bright white spots on a bone scan?

A member asked:

Will lytic lesions light up on bone scan? doesn't it just show osteoblastic activity, not -clastic? or do osteoclastic maybe show up as "cold spots"?

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