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A 39-year-old female asked:

Are there bone tumors that do not show up on x-ray or ct but do show up on bone scan? can't have mri (icd)

5 doctor answers • 11 doctors weighed in

Dr. Allen Luanswered

Orthopedic Surgery 25 years experience

Not really: Bone tumors are mostly evaluated with ct and x-ray. The extent of involvement can be evaluated with an MRI (usually to assess the soft tissue extension). A bone scan is used only to evaluate distant lesions that may have travelled away from the original tumor. Some tumors do not light up on bone scan.

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5.6k viewsReviewed >2 years ago

Dr. Alan Ali

Dr. Dan Fisher

Dr. Alan Ali and another doctor agree2 doctors agree

Dr. Thomas Hestonanswered

Family Medicine 30 years experience

Yes: Often the bone scan will show the tumor prior to it being seen on x-ray or ct, especially if you get an f18 Fluoride pet/ct bone scan.

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5.6k viewsAnswered >2 years ago

Dr. Brian Sabbanswered

Sports Medicine 26 years experience

Yes: X-ray is the right place to start the evaluation for bone lesions including tumors. However, since you cannot get an mri, a nuclear medicine study should be considered. Bone scan is an option. Others include spect/ct and pet/ct. These exams combine the benefits of nuclear medicine (like bone scan) and ct. Please note they also combine the risks of the 2 exams, namely increased radiation exposure.

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Dr. Steven Ginsberg

Dr. Andrew DeGruccio

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Dr. Gerald Mandellanswered

Nuclear Medicine 53 years experience

Most seen on X-ray: Most primary bone tumors are evident on plain radiographs and ct exam. Mr is usually used to be exact about extent of involvement in soft tissues or marrow. Mr helps surgeon in planning extent of tumor for surgery. Bone scan and pet?Ct are used usually not to make diagnosis of primary bone tumor but extent of spread to other areas of body. Pet/ct is most sensitive and accurate detecting metastases.

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Dr. Steven Chmielewski

Dr. Richard Popowitz

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Dr. Paul Baezanswered

Radiology 22 years experience

Possibly: Nuclear medicine bone scan is very sensitive for certain types of bone tumors and can show a lesion that is not yet apparent on x-ray or ct. Depends on the type of tumor.

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4.2k viewsAnswered >2 years ago

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Last updated Apr 26, 2019

Found in:

Bone›Bone pain›MRI

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