Your Dad has had previous surgery on his spine. That will show on the bone scan
It may look like me cancer but it might be images left over from the surgery. Even the specialists might need more scans to be sure.
The nurse, justifiably, doesn't feel qualified to comment. Better information will be forthcoming.
So this would be not unexpected but not final.
You will have to wait for further information. This is the worst part of the whole thing. The medics need strong information to offer diagnosis or treatment. Your Dad's body and the scans are where that information comes from.
If your doctor sees changes on your bone scan, they’ll show up as “hot spots” which are darker areas or “cold spots” which are lighter. Bone scans show changes in your bones, but they don’t tell you if it’s because of cancer or not. You may have to have other tests to figure out what the changes mean. These extra tests will tell you if the spots are cancerous or related to another problem, like arthritis.
Having had previous surgery can muddy the waters when trying to interpret the results so the nurse is being naturally cautious until all the results are in. The message you have been left is neither good nor bad. When you get the results on Friday they should be able to tell you why they have come to a decision on the bone scan. The waiting is difficult but it is best to get the full diagnosis so that your dad is neither under or over treated.
