A 45-year-old member asked:
are there any side effects of being injected with raidioactive isotopes for a bone x-ray?
2 doctor answers • 7 doctors weighed in

Dr. Gerald Mandell answered
Nuclear Medicine 52 years experience
Not usually: Sounds like bone scan. Injection of isotope technetium 99m mdp and visualization of skeleton looking for areas of abnormal uptake. Side effects include sometimes some bleeding from injection site. Isotope usually does not cause any allergic reaction. Lie down on table with cameras taking images of skeleton. Relax.
3890 views

Dr. Stephen Hofkin answered
Radiology 28 years experience
Very little: Radioactive isotopes for bone scans are very safe. The half-life of the isotopes is relatively short so the radioactivity gives a very little dose to body ,that unless someone is pregnant ,should not be of any concern .
3509 views

A Verified Doctor commented
A US doctor answered Learn more
Even simple xray....exposes body tissue to radiation......it is cumulative and may precipitate coexisting genetic predisposition for certain disease. So rational use is recomended
Nov 22, 2014
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Similar questions
A 40-year-old member asked:
Can you tell me about side effects of being injected with raidioactive isotopes for a bone x-ray?
1 doctor answer • 1 doctor weighed in

Dr. Stacy Yamasaki answered
Radiology 34 years experience
See below: As there is radiation you should not get a bone scan if you are pregnant. Unless you are allergic to the agent there is no common side effect.
3942 views
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Last updated May 10, 2015
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