This page is about your bone scan (bone scintigraphy) at Royal Brompton Hospital. It tells you about the scan, what will happen at your appointment and what to expect on the day. 

A bone scan shows how your bones are working and helps detect areas where bone has not formed normally. This can happen for many reasons, including injury, inflammation or other conditions affecting the bones.

We know that having a scan can feel worrying. This page explains what will happen, how to prepare, and what to expect on the day. Our team will support you throughout your visit.

What the scan involves

You will receive a small injection of a radioactive tracer. This tracer travels through your bloodstream and collects in your bones. Areas where the bone is more active take up more tracer and appear as “hot spots” on the scan.

The tracer does not cause any side effects.

After the injection, there is a waiting period of about 3 hours to allow the tracer to reach your bones. You may leave the hospital during this time.

An experienced technologist will then take 3D images of your whole body using a gamma camera.

What will happen on the day

When you arrive

• A technologist will explain the procedure and answer any questions.
• You will receive a small injection of the tracer into a vein in your arm or hand.

Waiting period before your scan

• There is a 3 hour wait before the scan.
• You may leave the hospital during this time.
• You can eat and drink normally.
• We recommend drinking plenty of fluids and emptying your bladder regularly. This helps your body clear any excess tracer.

During the scan

• You will lie on the scanning couch.
• The gamma camera will take 3D images of your body from head to toe.
• The scan takes around 20 minutes.
• You will need to lie still, but you can breathe normally.
• The scanner is similar in size to a CT scanner and quieter than an MRI scanner.
• If your clothing has metal fastenings that cannot be removed, we may ask you to change into a gown.

How to prepare

• No special preparation is needed for this scan.
• You can eat and drink normally before your appointment.
• You can continue taking your usual medicines unless your doctor has advised otherwise.
• Drink plenty of fluids before and after the injection to help clear any excess tracer

Risks of radiation during a bone scan (bone scintigraphy)

The amount of radiation used during a bone scan is small and kept to a minimum. We believe that the benefits of having the scan far outweigh any risks.

The risk of a person getting cancer because of this radiation is low, 1 in 10,000 to 1 in 1,000 people. This level of risk is very small compared with the overall lifetime chance of getting cancer. The overall lifetime chance of getting cancer is around 1 in 2 people. 

After the scan

• A doctor will check the images while you wait.
• Once the images are confirmed, you can go home.
• The radiation dose from this scan is very small.
• You do not need to change your routine, but you should keep a small distance (around 2 meters) from children under 11 years of age for 24 hours.
• The tracer will not make you sleepy.
• You can drive and return to normal activities. 

Your results

A nuclear medicine consultant will review your scan and send the report to your referring specialist. The results will also be available on the hospital’s electronic system.

Your specialist doctor will discuss the results with you and explain any next steps.