Nuclear medicine bone scan... experiences please

I’m having the same type of scan on Tuesday. I’m 8 months post mastectomy but still have a lot of discomfort and pain. It sounds like it will take a long time as they need to wait a few hours between the injection and the actual scan. I’ll try send a copy of the reverse of the letter which gives a lot of info. Main thing is you need to drink a lot of fluids  ( at least 2 glasses an hour) between the injection and the scan. Hope it goes well. Xx

Sorry I couldn’t figure out how to add the photo! Basically you get a small injection of a radioactive tracer then sent away for a few hours. They’ll tell you when to return. Drink lots of water or juice. Come back lie on scanner bed while images taken. For the 24 hours after your scan avoid close contact with small children or anyone who might be pregnant.  I think I read somewhere to drink lots of water after the scan too to flush the tracer out of your system. Hope this helps. Xx

It sounds like a PET-CT scan. If so, you have to not eat for a few hours before hand, because the radioactive tracer only works if your blood sugars are not elevated. The tracer is put in through a cannula, you don’t really feel anything. Then you wait an hour for the tracer to circulate. The scanning machine is similar to a standard CT scanner but takes longer as it slowly moves from one end of your body to the other. It’s no more enclosed than a CT scanner. The ‘needles’ bit is quite brief as they remove the cannula as soon as the radioactive material is in. 

Just to add that it's not a closed scanner like an MRI so you shouldn't feel claustrophobic!

Thanks very much Beth that's great information.im hoping the scan doesn't last too long. I've been online looking for information and some information suggests an hour of scan others say 1.5 hours depending on the trust. Fingers crossed for your scan on Tuesday. Thanks 

Hi. Thanks for replying. I've been told to turn up in morning have a injection and a quick scan and then wait for 3 hours before returning for a scan but not sure what the scanner looks like or if I have to stay in hospital waiting 

I think they may be different. I’ve been told to eat as normal.

Hi, I’m in on Monday for the same scan. I’m not too sure on what happens but can let you know Monday night once I’m home what happened. I had a double mastectomy 6 months ago but have been having shoulder & back pain the last few weeks xx

Oh thanks so much that would be really good if you could. Sending you hugs for Monday and hope it goes well for you 

I had a nuclear bone scan 10 days ago.  Tracer injected then sent off for 3 hours before going in for scan.  I could eat and drink normally before and also whilst waiting, though asked to drink lots of fluids and empty bladder before scan.   You’re not totally enclosed, the machine will move around you sometimes very closely.  I had hip pain and results showed no metastasis but osteoarthritis in most joints with hip and lower spine being most affected.  It really wasn’t too bad an experience and I’m claustrophobic.