What Is The Substance That Is Injected Into Arm For Bone Scan?

Posted on Wed, 4 Jun 2014

Medically reviewed by Ask A Doctor - 24x7 Medical Review Team

Wed, 4 Jun 2014 Answered on

Tue, 24 Jun 2014 Last reviewed on

Question : What do they inject into your arm to do a bone scan. Is it the same as the one for CT scan

Answered by Dr. Indu Kumar (43 minutes later)

Brief Answer:
CT scan and Bone scan use different injections.

Detailed Answer:
Hello XXXXXX
Thanks for writing to HCM

CT scan and Bone scan use different injections.
In Bone scan,radiotracer substance is injected into the veins and these tracer substances are absorbed by the bones.Then sequential pictures are taken by a camera.Camera picks radiation released by radioactive tracer substance.

Whereas CT scan use iodine based contrast agent.Iodine causes difference in contrast of tissues and it improves the visibility of internal bodily structures by X-ray based imaging techniques such as computed tomography (CT).

You can go for CT scan as advised by your doctor because radioactive tracer will be washed out of the body by this time.There is no harm.

Get well soon.
Hope I have answered your question.
Further queries are most welcome.

Take Care
Dr.Indu XXXXXXX

Above answer was peer-reviewed by : Dr. Vinay Bhardwaj